CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND: 


A    HISTORY    OF 


CROMWELL'S   IRISH    CAMPAIGN 


Rev.    DENIS    MURPHY,   S.J. 


"  'Twas  not  lack  of  men,  nor  food,  nor  raiment^ 
Nor  th'  enemy's  strength  wrenched  from  them  Eire, 
But,  to  one  another,  not  being  faithful." 

The  Dirge  of  Irelana, 


BOSTON: 

THE    PILOT    PUBLISHING    CO. 

1893. 


07O.L  LIBRARY 
BOSTON  COLLEGE 


Electrotyped  and  Printed  by 

Cashman,  Khating    &    Co., 

6m  Washington  St.,  Boston. 


4' 


Co  tlj£  gUmori2 

OF   THE 

IVIost  Rev.  John   Mac  Hale^ 

ARCilF.ISIIOP    OF    TUAJW, 

I   DEniCATF 

THIS    HISTORY   OF    OXE   YEAR'S    SUFFERINGS 

OF    THE    IRISH    PEOl'LE 

FOR    THEIR    FAITH    AND    COUNTRY. 


PREFACE. 


Preface. 

The  object  of  this  work  is  to  give  an  account  in  full  detail,  as  far 
as  is  possible,  of  Cromwell's  Irish  campaign,  which  began  in  August, 
1649,  and  ended  in  May,  '1650.  It  is  a  portion  of  history  but  little 
known.  It  lies  for  the  most  part  in  a  few  books,  some  of  them  difficult 
of  access  by  reason  of  their  scarcity,  others  written  in  a  Inaguage  not 
intelligible  to  the  greater  number  of  readers.  Traditions,  indeed,  there 
are  still  surviving  of  the  doings  of  Cromwell  and  his  followers,  many  of 
them  having,  no  doubt,  a  foundation  of  truth  ;  but  many,  too,  exaggera- 
tions at  best,  and  not  a  few  wholly  unfounded  and  false.  In  truth, 
there  is  hardly  a  ruined  church  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of 
the  land,  the  destruction  of  which  is  not  attributed  to  Cromwell,  or 
a  crumbling  castle  of  which  it  is  not  said  that 

"  Oliver  Cromwell 
He  did  it  pommel, 
And  made  a  breach 
In  its  battlement." 

■  Evil  deeds  are  attributed  to  him  as  done  where  he  never  set  foot, 
and  names  are  given  to  places  that  would  seem  at  first  sight  to  record 
his  presence  there,  but  in  reality  have  had  their  origin  in  the  wish  of 
his  followers  to  perpetuate  their  leader's  fame,  or  in  the  hatred  of  those 
among  whom  they  dwelt,  who  would  hand  down  the  record  of  his  cruel- 
ties by  an  appellation  which  in  their  minds  summed  up  all  manner  of 

evil. 

Many  years  ago  Sir  William  Wilde  expressed  a  wish  that  some 

one  would  write  the  history  of  "Cromwell's  Irish  campaign,  one    of 

the  most  defective  portions  of  modern   Irish  history."      He  adds  that 

Mr.  Hardiman,  whose  services  in  the  field  of  Irish  research  have  been 

such  as  to  make  us  regret  that  his  works  are  so  few,  had  made  a  coUec 

tion  of  all  the  documents  relating  to  Cromwell  in  Ireland.      I   have 

made  inquiry  for  these  wherever  I  head    any  part  of  his  manuscripts 

were— at    the    British    Museum,    Markree    Castle,    the    Royal    Irish 

Academy,  and  the  monastery  of  Errew — but  in  none  of  these  places 

were  there  any  tidings  to  be  had  ^f  them. 


vi  PREFA  CE. 

So  little  has  been  done  hitherto  in  monographs  of  even  the  most 
important  facts  of  Irish  history,  and  that  little  under  such  difficulties, 
that  it  is  no  wonder  Cromwell's  doings  have  not  been  written  of.  Mr. 
Prendergast's  invaluable  work,  The  Cromwellian  Seitlemcnt  of  Ireland, 
has  begun  a  new  era  of  Irish  history.  It  shows  that  materials  are  at 
hand  in  abundance,  if  only  an  enlightened  industry  will  search  for 
them  and  put  them  in  order.  State  papers,  hitherto  accessible  only 
to  a  few,  are  now  within  the  reach  of  all.  Collections  of  rare  books, 
both  public  and  private,  are  thrown  open  to  the  student  more  freely 
than  formerly.  A  work  on  the  history  of  Ireland,  if  it  has  merit, 
need  not  rely  for  its  success  on  the  comparatively  few  readers  within 
the  narrow  limits  of  this  country;  it  will  readily  reach  to  another 
Ireland  beyond  the  sea,  where  the  story  of  the  old  land  is  read,  its 
traditions  and  legends  repeated,  the  recollection  of  its  sufferings 
and  its  wrongs  treasured  up  with  tender  care :  — 

"  Deep  in  Canadian  woods  we've  met, 

From  one  bright  island  flown ; 

Great  is  the  land  we  tread,  but  yet 

Our  hearts  are  with  our  own." 

The  plan  nursued  in  this  work  is  to  follow  Cromwell  step  by  step 
in  his  progress  through  Ireland.  Other  matters  treated  of  in  the  first 
chapters  needed  to  be  touched  on,  in  order  to  show  what  the  state  of 
the  great  political  parties  both  in  England  and  Ireland  was  at  the  time. 
Cromwell's  letters  are  so  numerous  and  so  full  of  details,  that  there 
is  no  difficulty  in  tracing  out  his  line  of  march,  hour  by  hour,  from  the 
first  moment  he  landed  in  Dublin  up  to  his  setting  sail  from  Youghal. 
The  newspapers  of  the  time,  too,  give  day  by  day  an  account  of  the 
successes  of  the  Parliamentary  army.  There  arc  naratives  of  some 
of  the  more  remarkable  events,  written  by  eye-witnesses,  actors  or 
sufferers  in  the  scenes  which  they  describe,  some  of  these  being  Irisfc. 
ecclesiastics  who  had  escaped  from  the  carnage  or  had  been  banished, 
and  "  from  the  place  of  their  refuge,"  set  down  for  perpetual  remem- 
brance, the  record  of  what  they  and  their  countrymen  endured.  I 
have  allowed  each  of  the  chief  actors  to  tell  the  part  which  he  took, 
and  in  his  own  words,  too.  when  it  was  possible  to  do  so.  The  extracts 
from  contemporary  writers  have  been  set  down  just  as  they  are  given 
in  the  originals.  Their  very  quaintness  will  often  help  to  bring  the 
scenes  which  they  describe  more  vividly  before  the  reader's  eyes  ::han 
a  more  elaborate,  but  perhaps  less  faithful,  description.  Each  state- 
ment has  its  reference,  not  merely  to  enable  the  reader  to  test  itb 
truth,  but  still  more  to   point  out   to  him  the  works  in  which  he  will 


PREFACE,  VI 1 

find  further  details,  which,  though  not  admissible  within  the  limits  of 
a  small  work,  may  interest  those  who  wish  to  study  the  subject  more 
fully.  T  have  confined  myself  to  a  simple  narrative  of  the  facts  ;  for 
to  use  the  words  of  Montaigne,  which  one  of  the  most  learned  of  Irish 
historians  has  taken  for  his  motto:  "Jaime  les  historiens  ou  fort 
simples  ou  excellents  ;  les  simples,  qui  n'ont  poin  de  quoy  mesler 
([uclque  chose  dn  Icur,  ct  qui  n'y  apportent  que  le  soing  et  la  diligence 
de  ramasscr  tout  cc  qui  vient  ^  leur  notice  et  d'cnregistrer  h.  la  bonne 
foy  toutes  choses,  sans  chois  et  sans  triage,  nous  laissent  le  jugement 
entier  pour  la  connaissance  de  la  verity." 

This  is  not  the  place  \o  enter  on  any  inquiry  into  the  character, 
either  military  or  political,  of  Cromwell.  That  he  was  a  brave  man. 
that  he  was  far-seeing,  that  he  knew  how  to  choose  his  instruments 
and- to  use  them,  that  he  did  his  v,^ork  in  Ireland — from  his  stand- 
point—  well,  thoroughly,  no  one  will  deny.  But  that  he  was  "a 
heaven-sent  messenger,"  that  his  conduct,  even  as  a  public  man,  was 
not  contrary  to  the  first  principles  of  morality,  that  another  CromweP 
would  be  the  best  panacea  for  Irish  discontent,  no  one  ever  so  little 
acquainted  with  the  history  of  his  doings  will  assert,  unless  his  mind 
is  wholly  warped  by  prejudice  of  race  or  religious  rancour.  Whoever 
examines,  even  his  brief  career  in  Ireland,  with  impartiality,  must 
admit  the  truth  of  Clarendon's  saying,  that  he  was  a  great,  bad  man. 

I  cannot  conclude  without  acknowledging  my  obligations  to  Mr. 
Prendcrgast,  for  the  great  help  which  I  have  derived  from  his  Croin- 
zvellian  Scttlonent  of  Ireland.  From  Mr.  Gilbert's  edition  of  the 
Aphorisjual  Discovery,  and  from  the  valuable  notes  which  he  has  ap- 
pended to  it,  I  have  borrowed  largely.  The  high  character  which 
both  these  writers  bear  for  research  and  accuracy,  is  the  best  warrant 
for  the  truth  of  the  many  statements  which  I  have  made  on  their 
authority. 

The  dates  throughout  are  given  according  to  the  New  Style, 
which  makes  the  year  begin  with  January  ist,  not  March  25th,  as  was 
the  custom  formerly. 

Limerick,  Feast  of  St.  Patrick,  1883. 


CONTENTS.  IX 


Contents. 


Page 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    PEACE    OK    'kORTV-EIGHT. 

Terms  of  the  Peace — Execution  of  Charles  I.  —  Ormonde's  autliority  —  The  Com- 
missioners of  Trust  —  Overtures  to  Jones  and  Coote  —  The  fleet  under  Prince 
Rupert  —  Owen  Roe  O'Neill  —  Treaty  with  Monk  —  Defeat  of  Fcrrall  —  Siege 
of  Derry  raised  —  Monk  and  Cootc  censured  by  the  I'arliament 1 

CH AFTER  II. 

THE    BATTLE    OF    I3AGGOTRATH. 

Ormonde's  army  —  Charles  11.  urged  to  conte  to  Ireland — Muster  of  the  Army  — 
March  through  Carlow  and  Kildare  —  Encampment  before  Dublin  —  Inchiquin 
takes  Drogheda  and  Trim  —  Dublin  invested — Arrival  of  Reinforcements  — 
Battle  of  Baggotrath  —  Cause  of  the  Defeat  —  Ormonde's  Movements  —  Jones' 
letter  —  Orders  of  the  Council  of  State , 11 

CHAPTER  HI. 

PREPARATIONS    FOR    THE    WAR. 

Rebellion  of  1641 — The  King  and  the  Parliament  —  Character  of  the  Rebellion  — 
The  Act  of  Subscri]Hion  —  An  Irish  war  jiopular  —  Lord  Wharton  Commander- 
in-Chief —  Lord  Forbes'  Exi)cdition  —  The  Parliament  and  the  Army  —  Lord 
Lisle  Lord-Lieutenant  —  Inchiquin  changes  sides — Reinforcements  fur  Dublin 

—  The  Cobble_r  of  Aggavam 20 

CHAPTER  IV. 

CROMWELL    GENERAL. 

The  Army  for  Iieland — The  Lord  Lieutenant  —  Waller  and  Lambert  —  Cromwell 
apjjointed  —  Olticers'  Petition —  12,000  men  to  be  sent  to  Ireland — Committee 
to  jirovidc  Ships  —  Cromwell  Conmiandcr-iti-Chief — His  Humility  —  Com- 
mittee for  the  affairs  of  Ireland — Provision  for  the  Forces  —  Conference  with 
the  Common  Coup.cil  of  London  —  /"  120,000  advanced  for  the  Service  of  Ire- 
land—  Casting  of  Lots  —  The  Regiments  for  Ireland  —  The  General's  Or-. 
der 26 

CHAPTER   V. 
T  H  E     L  E  V  E  L  L  E  R  S. 

Mutiny  Among  the  Troops  —  Cromwell's  Ambition —  "  The  Hunting  of  the  Foxes" 

—  His  Nepotism  —  Spread  of  the  Sedition  —  Defeat  of  the  Insurgents  —  Thanks 
given  to  the  Generals—  Readiness  ot  the  Army  to  go  for  Ireland  —  Transports 

—  The    General    Olticers  —  Cromwell  s  Delay — His  Commission,   Lifeguard 

and  Allowance "  .     .         33 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

CROMWKLL    SETS    OUT    FOR    IRELAND. 

Page 
Departure  from  London  — Journey  to  Bristol  —  The  Rendezvous  —  Mutiny  —  Idolaters 
to  be  extirpated —  News  of  Jones'  Victory  —  The  Fleet  sets  sail — The  Regi- 
ments and  their  Commanders  —  Reception  in  Dublin  —  Proclamations  —  The 
Buff  Coat  in  the  Dublin  Pulpits 40 

CHAPTER  VI L 

THE    SIEGE    AND    CAPTURE    OF    DROGHEDA. 

Muster  of  the  Army  —  The  March  —  Finglas  Cross— Defences  of  Drogheda — The 
Garrison  —  Sir  Anluir  Aston — The  Fortifications  —  Cromwell's  Account  of 
the  Siege  —  The  Assault  —  No  Quarter  —  Death  of  Aston  —  Official  List  of  the 
Slain — The  liloody    Street  —  The  Survivors .         47 

CHAPTER  VHE 

THE    SIEGE    AND    CAPTURE    OF    DROGHEDA  (continued). 

A  Wood's  Account  of  the  Massacre  —  Letter  of  Cromwell  —  Death  of  F.  Taaffe,  O. 
S.  A.  and  of  FF.  liathe  and  Netterville,  S.  J.  —  Loss  of  the  Assailants  —  Peter's 
Letter  —  Thanksgiving — Hopes  of  the  Royalists — Surrender  of  Dundalk  — 
Cromwell  wounded  —  Surrender  of  Trim — Ormonde's  Movements.     ...  59 

CHAPTER  IX. 

THE    CROMWELLIANS    IN    THE    NORTH. 

Venables'  Expedition  —  The  Ulster  Scots  —  Surrender  of  Carlingford  and  Newry  — 
Defeat  of  Trevor  —  Surrender  of  Belfast  and  Coleraine  —  Further  Successes  — 
Cromwell's  Letter 6S 

CHAPTER  X. 

THE    KING    AND    ORMONDE. 

Ormonde  tries  to  collect  Supplies — The  King's  Journey  to  Ireland — His  Character 
—  Intrigues  of  the  Scotch  Envoys  —  He  decides  to  go  to  Scotland — Taaffe  joins 
Ormonde  —  Refusal  of  the  Cities  to  contribute 71 

CHAPTER  XI. 

OWEN    ROE    o'nEILL. 

Ormonde's  Overtures  to  O'Neill  —Terms  of  the  Treaty—  His  Illness  and  Death  — 
His  Character  — Letter  to  Ormonde—  Early  Life  of  O'Neill — The  School  of 
Mars  —  The  Sword  of  Red  Hugh  —  Benburb — His  forces  join  Ormonde     .     .         74 

CHAPTER  XII. 

THE    MARCH    TO   WEXFORD. 

Cromwell's  Plan  — Capture  of  Killincarrick  — Cromwell's  Plot  —  Capture  of  Lim- 
brick,  Ferns,  and  Enniscorthy  —  Wallop  —  Encampment  before  Wexford  — 
Spirit  of  the  Ciii/.ens  —  The  Garrison  Iveinforcetl  —  'l"he  Governor  —  Sum- 
mons to  Surrender  —  'i'he  Rei)ly  —  The  Batteries  I'hmteil  —  Propositions  of  the 
Governor — Cromwell's  Answer 80 


CONTENTS.  XI 


•  Page 

CHAPTER  Xril. 

THE    CAPTURE    OF    WEXFORD. 

Courage  of  tlie  Townsmen  —  Discord  —  Treacliery  of  Stafford  —  Suirender  of  the 
"the  Castle  —  Entrance  of  the  Besiegers  —  Massacre  of  the  Inliabitants  —  Con- 
temporary Writers  —  Letter  of  Dr.  hrench  —  His  Apologia —  Massacre  of  the 
Franciscans —  "  They  knelt  around  the  cross  divine  "  — Terror  of  the  Commis- 
sioners of  Trust  —  Ormonde's  Plans 90 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  ATTEMPT   ON    DUNCANNON. 

Ireton  sent  to  attempt  Duncannon  —  Its  Importance  —  Roche  the  Governor  —  Wogan 
appointed  in  his  Place  —  Plan  of  Defence  —  Its  Success — Reinforcements  from 
Dublin  —  Inchiquin  tries  to  intercept  them — Fight  at  Glascarrig 

CHAPTER  XV. 


100 


THE    SIEGE    OF    ROSS. 

Cromwell  encamps  before  Ross — Taaffe  Governor  —  Summons  to  Surrender — The 
ThreelUillet  Gate  —  No  Toleration  —  No  Quarter  for  Irishmen  —  No  Mercy 
for  Priests  —  Surrender  of  the  Town  —  Terms  of  Surrender  —  Cromwell's  Lodg- 
ing at  Ross     .     .     : 10-4 

CHAPTER  XVL 

REVOLT    OF    THE    MUNSTER    GARRISONS. 

Disaffection  of  the  Southern  Towns—  The  English  Plantation — Lord  Broghill  — 
Conmiission  from  the  King  —  Visit  of  Cromwell  —  Terms  offered  him  by  the 
Parliament  —  Return  to  Ireland  —  His  Retainers—  Townsend  —  Revolt  of  the 
Garrisons  of  Youghal  and  Cork —  Letter  of  Colonel  Deane  —  Sir  Robert  Stir- 
ling Governor  —  Flight  of  Lady  Fanshaw —  Relation  of  Colonel  Ryves  . '   .     .       112 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

REVOLT    OF    THE    MUNSTER    GARRISONS  (continued). 

Revolt  of  Kinsale  and  Bandon — Propositions  of  the  Governor  of  Bandon  —  Revolt 
of  Youghal  —  Surrender  of  Cappoquin,  Baltimore,  Castlehaven  and  Mallow  — 
Act  of  Indemnity  —  The  Forty-nine  Arrears — Privilege  of  Kinsale  and 
Youghal  —  Consequences  of  the  Revolt — The  Rovalist  Fleet  —  Letter  of 
Cromwell ' 121 

CHAPTIiR  XVIII. 

THE    SIEGE    OF    WATERFORD. 

The  Bridge  of  Boats  —  The  Ulster  Men  —  Capture  of  Innistiogue  —  Ponsonby's  Strata- 
gem—  Attempt  to  Surprise  Carrick  —  Cromwell  before  Waterford  —  Con- 
ditions offered  to  the  City  —  Dr.  Comerford — Defences — The  Garrison  — 
Farrell  Governor — Summons  to  Surrender — Passage  taken  —  Power  of 
Faithlegg  —  The  Siege  raised  —  Attempt  to  surprise  Passage  —  Sankey  .     .     .       127 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE    MARCH    TO    YOUGHAL. 

Capture  of  Butlerstown,  Kilmeaden,  Curraghmore,  Granno,  and  Dunhill  —  Surrender 
of  Dungarvan  —  Letter  of  Broghill  —  The  Revolters  —  Cromwell  enters  You- 


Xll  CONTENTS. 


Pack 
ghal  —  Sickness  of  the  Troops  —  Death  of  Colonel  Jones — His  Character  — 
Irish  Army  in  Winter-Quarters  —  Ormonde  asks  leave  to  quit  Ireland  —  Dean 
Boyle  —  Causes  of  Distrust .       135 

CHAPTER   XX. 

IN    WINTER-QUARTERS. 

Head  Quarters  at  Youghal — Cromwell  visits  Cork  and  Kinsale — Stubber  —  Visits 
Bandon  and  Skibbereen  —  CromweH's  Bridge  —  His  Recall  —  Sufferings  of  the 
People  of  Cork —  Their  Constancy  —  Bramhall  —  The  Church  Bells  —  Coppin- 
ger  of  Ballyvolane  —  The  Clonmacnoise  Decrees 140 

CHAPTER  XXL 

OPENING    OF    THE    SPRING    CAMPAIGN. 

Cromwell  takes  the  Field  —  A  Day  of  Humiliation  —  March  on  Kilkenny — Letter 
of  Cromwell  —  Conna,  &c.,  taken —  Fethard  summoned  —  Ludicrous  account  of 
the  Surrender — Privileges  —  Surrender  of  Cashel  —  'Forty-nine  Officers  — 
Thurles  Garrisoned — Lady  Thurles 145 

CHAPTER  XXn. 

THE    CAPTURE    OF    CALLAN. 

March  on  Callan  —  Fanning  of  Ballingarry — "A  Country  worth  fighting  for  "  — 
Defence  of  Callan  —  The  Assault  —  Geoghegan  of  Frevanagh  —  Skerry's 
Castle —  Butler's  Castle —  Return  to  Cashel  —  Ardfinan  —  Cost  of  the  War  in 
Ireland -^  Thanks  of   the  House  —  The  Cockpit 152 

CHAPTER  XXni. 

THE    CAPTURE    OF    CAHIR    CASTLE. 

Cahir  summoned  —  Its  Defences  —  Articles  of  Surrender  —  Kiltenan — Dundrum  — 
Goldenbridge  and  Ballinakill  Taken  —  The  Commissioners  of  Trust  Adjourn 
to  Ennis  —  Ormonde  goes  to  Limerick  —  Proposals  of  the  Bishops  — His  Re- 
ply—  Distrust  of  the  Citizens  —  Dismissal  of  the  English  Protestant  Forces  — 
Declaration  of  the  Bishops  —  State  of  Cromwell's  Army 157 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

HEWSON    JOINS    CROMWELL. 

Hewson  advances  from  Dublin  —  Takes  castles  in  Co.  Kildare  —  Siege  and  Surren- 
der of  Ballysonan  —  Harristown,  Lea,  and  Dunamaise  taken  —  Massacre  at  Tim- 
ahoe  —  Capture  of  Castledermot  —  Surrender  of  Leighlin  —  Castlehaven  takes 
Athy  —  Rendezvous  at  Gowran 164 

CHAPTER   XXV. 

THE    SIEGE    OF    KILKENNY. 

Cromwell  returns  to  Cashel  —  Tickle's  Treachery  —  The  Garrison  of  Kilkenny  — 
The  Plague  —  Castle  IIowcl  —  Summons  to  Surrender  —  The  Batteries —Cap- 
ture of  St.  Canice's  and  of  the  Irishtown — Repulse  at  the  Breach  —  The 
Mayor's  Letter — Proposals  of  the  Governor  —  Cromwell's  Answer  —  Breach 
in  the  Wall  —  Surrender  —  The  Articles— Want  of  Supplies 171 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

SURRENDER    OF    KILKENNY. 

Bravery  of  the  Garrison — Dr.  Rothe  —  Churches  profaned  —  Ecclesiatics  put  to 
death  —  The  Market  Cross  —  St.  Canice's  Cathedral  —  The  Windows  —  The 
Ormonde  Monument—  F.  Lea,  S.  J.  —  Ormonde  arid  the  Bishop  of  Clogher  .       182 


CONTENTS.  XUl 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE    RATTLE    OF    MACROOM. 


Pagb 


Sadlier's  successes  —  Ennisnag,  Pulkerry,  Ballydoinc,  Granny,  and  Dunkill  taken  — 
Henry  Cromwell  arrives  in  .  Ireland  —  Defeat  of  Inchiquin — The  Munster 
Army  —  Confederate  Standards  —  Battle  of  Macroom — The  ]5ishop  of  Ross 
Hanged — Surrender  of  Carrigadroihd  —  Brnghill's  Account 187 

CHAPTER  XXVI II. 

THE       SIEGE       OE       CLONMEL. 

Conduct  of  tiie  Inhabitants  —  The  Garrison  —  Summons  to  Surrender  —  O'Neill's 
Answer — Feimell's  Treachery  —  Broghill's  Arrival  —  Langlev  of  the  Iron 
Hand  —  Want  of  Ammunition — Surrender — Account  by  an  Eye-Witncss  — 
Letter  of  S.  Dillingham  —  The  Articles  of  Surrender  —  FF.  O'Reilly  and 
McGrath,  O.    P.      .  \ 191 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

CROMWELL    LEAVES    IRELAND. 

His  last  Public  Act  in  Ireland —  Pass  to  Lord  Moore  —  Recall  of  Cromwell  —  Troubles 
in  Scotland  —  Fairfax  —  Cromwell  Sails  from  Youghal  —  Reception  in  Lon- 
don—  His  Speech  in  Parliament     .     .      ; 201 

CHAPTER    XXX. 

THE    RATTLE    OF    SCARIFFHOLLIS. 

Meeting  of  the  Ofticers  of  the  Ulster  Army — Ileber  McMahon  General  —  March 
north- wards — Plan  of  the  Campaign  —  Coote  and  Venablcs  —  The  Battle  — 
Defeat  of  the  Irish  —  Bravery  of  Henrv  O'Neill  —  Flight  of  McMahon —  His 
Death— Death  of  Henry  and  Colonel  Phelim  O'Neill 205 


APPENDIX. 


I. 

The  Great  Duke  of  Ormonde     ...  ,,       211 

II. 
Morrough  O'Brien,  Lord  Inchiquin     , 213 

III. 
Supplies  sent  to  Cromwell  during  his  Irish  campaign 214 

IV. 
Genealogy  of  Owen  Roe  O'Neill 216 


Xiv  CONTENTS. 

V. 

Page 

The  Sack  of  Cashel  by  Lord  Inchiquin,  September  13th    1647  ..,,...     221 

VI. 
The  Walling  of    Ross 224 

VII. 

Revolt  of  the  Miinster  garrisons  to  Cromwell 22(i 

VIII 
The  Clonmacnoise  Decrees 23() 

IX. 

A  Declaration  of  the  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  in  answer  to  certain  Acts  of  the 

Irish  Popish  Prelates  in  a  Conventicle  at  Clonmacnoise 233 

X. 

Langley  of  the  Iron  Hand 240 

.XI. 
Surrender  of  the  Irish  Fortress 241 

XII. 
Cromwell  and  William's  Nobility 242 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND 


CROMWELL  LN  IRELAND. 

CHAPTER   I. 

THE  PEACE  OF   'FORTY-EIGHT. 

Terms  of  tlie  Peace -Execution  of  Charles  I.-  Ormonde's  Authority-  The  Commission- 
ers of  Tru-^t  —  Overtures  to  Jones  and  Coote  —  The  Fleet  under  Prince  Rupert  —  Owen 
Roe  O'Neill  — Treaty  with  Monk  —  Defeat  of^Ferrall  —  Seige  of  Dcrry  raised  — Monk 
and  Coote  censured  by  the  Parliament. 

On  the  17th  of  January,  1649,  ^  peace  was  concluded  between 
the  Marquis  of  Ormonde,  acting  on  behalf  of  King  Charles  I.  and  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  Confederate  Catholics.  Substantially  its 
terms  were  the  same  as  those  of  the  treaty  which  the  Catholic  party 
had  refused  the  year  before.  But  the  position  of  the  Confederates  \^ 
was  much  changed  within  the  twelvemonth.  The  country,  impover- 
ished by  thelongcontinuenceof  the  war,  was  no  longer  able  to  support 
a  standing  army.  There  was  no  further  hope  of  aid  from  abroad.  The 
ambassadors,  sent  by  the  Assembly  to  Rome,  were  told  that  the  Papal 
'exchequer  was  almost  exhausted,  and  that  the  resources  of  the  govern- 
ment were  hardly  sufficient  to  meet  the  dangers  that  threatened  southern 
Italy.  Most  opportunely  for  the  royal  interests,  the  Remonstrance  of 
the  Puritan  army  in  England  was  published  while  the  negotiations  for 
the  treaty  were  on  foot,  "  demanding  that  the  parliament  should  pro- 
ceed against  the  King  in  the  way  of  justice,  as  the  capital  and  grand 
author  of  all  the  troulDles  and  woes  which  the  kingdom  hath  endured, 
and  that  he  should  be  brought  to  justice  for  the  treason,  blood  and  mis- 
chief he  hath  been  therein  guilty  of."i  No  ground  was  left  any  longer  for 
doubting  about  the  intentions  of  the  party.  All  who  had  any  regard 
for  the  royal  authority  forgot  for  a  time  prejudice  and  resentment,  to 
secure  the  King's  safety.  The  Protestants  became  more  tolerant  ; 
many  Catholics,  who  had  held  aloof  from  Ormonde  hitherto,  were 
gained  over  by  the  concessions  now  made  on  behalf  of  their  religion. 
The  Assembly  conceded  some  points  still  in  dispute,  and  "in  consid- 
eration of  his  Majesty's  present  condition  and  of  their  own  hearty 
desires  of  spending  their  lives  and  fortunes  in  maintaining  his  rights 
and  interests,  they  resolved  unanimously  to  accept  ^the  Marquis  of 
Ormonde's  answer  to  their  propositions  for  religion."  ^        

1  Linsard's  I Ihtorv  of  England,  vol.  viii.  p.  lo6;  London,  1855.  See  "The  Chief 
Heads  of  the  Armv's  Remonstrance,"  presented  to  the  House  of  Commons  November  20th, 
1648,  in  the  Appendix  to  Clarendon's  History  of  the  Rebellion,  p.  89  ;  London,  1717. 

2  Carte's  Historv  of  James  Duke  of  Ormonde,  vol.  ii.  p.  49  5  London.  1736.  "  That  desper- 
ately wicked  remonstrance,  whatever  mischief  it  may  do,  hath  yet  done  tins  good,  that  it  put  uS 
quite  from  all  disputes  upon  the  necessity  of  conditions,  and  was  no  sniall  cause  -f  the  spceciv, 
and,  I  hope,  happy  conclusion  of  the  peace."—  Letter  of  Ormonde  to  Lord  Jermyn,  Jan.  24111, 
1649  ;  ibtd.^  vol.  iii  p.  602. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


By  the  terms  of  the  treaty  it  was  agreed  that  the  Irish  people 
should  be  free  to  practice  their  religion,  without  prejudice  to  their 
persons  or  estates  ;  that  they  should  no  longer  be  obliged  to  take  the 
oath  of  supremacy  —  for  this  a  new  form  of  oath  was  substituted, 
professing  allegiance  to  his  Majesty  —  and  that  all  acts  and  ordi- 
nances of  parliament  in  dishonor  of  the  Catholic  faith,  passed  since 
August  7th,  1641,  should  be  vacated.  They  were  assured,  moreover, 
that  they  should  not  be  molested  in  the  possession  of  the  churches 
and  church  livings  which  they  then  held,  or  in  the  exercise  of  their 
jurisdiction,  until  such  time  as  his  Majesty,  in  a  free  parliament  to  be 
held  in  Ireland,  should  declare  his  further  pleasure. ^  The  peace  was 
confirmed  later  by  Charles  II.,  who  professed  himself  satisfied  in  every 
respect  with  its  terms.  Yet  just  eighteen  months  after  he  declared 
it  null  and  void,  adding,  "  that  he  was  convinced  in  his  conscience  of 
the  sinfulness  and  unlawfulness*of  it  and  of  allowing  the  liberty  of  the 
Popish  religion."  2  Ormond  was  no  better  than  his  master.  The 
"  Declaration  "  of  Jamestown  shows  how  shamelessly  he  violated  it 
in  its  most  important  points.^  After  the  Restoration  he  was  accused 
of  having  been  on  too  friendly  terms,  during  the  insurrection,  with 
some  of  the  Irish  ecclesiastics  ;  he  exculpated  himself  by  saying  that 
his  aim  was  to  work  disunion  among  the  Romish  clergy. 

A  few  days  after  the  signing  of  the  treaty  the  news  of  the  King's 
execution'  reached  Ireland.  •  By  all  parties  it  was  received  with  horror 
and  indignation.'*  Profiting  by  the  feeling  of  sympathy  shown  every- 
where for  the  royal  family,  Ormonde,  who  was  then  at  Youghal,  had 
the  Prince  of  Wales  proclaimed  King,  under  the  title  of  Charles  II., 
with  all  solemnity,  in  every  town  in  Ireland  that  owned  subjection  to 
his  authority.  His  own  position  remained  unchanged  by  the  King's 
death.  A  fresh  commission  was  issued  to  him  by  the  new  King,  on 
the    17th  of  February,  renewing  his  powers  as  Lord  Lieutenant  and 

1  This  was  called  "The  Peace  of  Forty-eight,"  old  style.  The  Articles,  thirty-five  in 
number  are  given  in  Co.x's  Ilibirnia  Anglicana,  i\i)])endi.>c  .xliii.;  Ijondon,  1690.  Milton 
wrote,  in  opposition  to  it,  Observations  on  the  Articles  of  the  Peace. 

2  Carte's  Collection  of  Ori<^inal Papers,  vol.  i.  p.  400  ;  Dublin,  1759.  It  is  Strange  how 
long  the  Irish  continued  to  show  their  affection  to  the  Stuart  dynasty,  not  one  of  whom 
displayed  the  least  gratitude  for  the  many  sacrifices  made  on  iheir  behalf.  " 'I'he  ancient 
Irish,"  says  M'Geoghegan,  "revered  the  Milesian  bhjod  which  ran  in  the  veins  of  James  1., 
and  looked  on  him  as  a  prince  descended  from  themselves.  They  knew  that  Edward  Jlruce, 
brother  of  Robert  Bruce,  from  whom  James  was  descended,  had  been  chosen  by  tiieir 
ancestors  to  be  their  soverergn.  It  was  well-known  too,  that  Edward  had  been  actually 
crowned  King  of  Ireland." — History  of  Ireland,  translated  by  O'Kelly,  p.  552;  Dublin,  1844. 
Roderick  O'Flaherty,  in  the  Epistola  Dedicatoria  prefixed  to  his  Ogy^ia,  addtessins;  the  Duke 
of  York,  calls  Ireland  "  Aiitic|uissima  majorum  tuorum  incunabula.'  The  Ogvf^ia  was 
])nblished  in  16S5.  The  ilcmands  of  the  Irish  gentlemen,  who  had  suffered  for  the  royal  cause, 
afforded  to  Charles  11.  and  his  profligate  courtiers,  after  his  Restoration,  constant  (ood  for 
their  indecent  and  heartless  mirth. 

3  "  See  the  Declaration  of  the  Archbishops,  Bishops,  and  other  Dignitaries  of  the  secular 
and  regular  clercy  against  the  continuance  of  his  Majesty's  authority  in  the  person  of  the 
M;irqu  3  of  Ormonde,"  dated  at  Jamestown,  August  12th,  1650  in  Cox's  Htb.  Angl.,  Appcn- 
di.K  .\lviii. 

*  "  How  gladly  would  I  draw  a  curtain  over  that  disinal  and  unha]ipy  30th  of  January, 
wherein  the  royal  father  of  our  country  suffered  martyrdom  !  Oh  !  that  I  could  say,  'They 
were  Irishmen  that  did  that  abominable  fact,'  or  that  I  could  justly  lay  it  at  tlie  door  of  the 
Pa[)ists." — Ilib  An^d.,  vol.  ii.  p.  206.  "  Resentment  and  spleen  had  a  good  share  in  forming 
.hat  work  (Co.x's);  for  it  carries  too  much  the  air  and  complexion  of  satire." —  Introduction 
to  Clanricarde's  Memoir i  ,   Dublin,  1744. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


confirming  all  he  had  done,  in  virtue  either  of  the  commission  of  the 
late  King  or  of  his  own  confirmation  of  the  powers  or  rights  thereof. 

Almost  the  whole  of  Ireland  had  now  declared  for  Charles.  Nearly- 
all  the  leading  men  of  the  Catholic  party  were  united  with  Ormonde, 
and  threw  themselves  heart  and  soul  into  the  defence  of  'the  royal 
cause.  Preston,  Taaffe,  Clanricarde,  Muskerry,  and  Castlehaven  for- 
got their  mutual  jealousies  for  a  while  and  thought  only  of  the  common 
interests.  Once  more  Inchiquin  changed  sides, ^  now  for  the  last 
time.  He  had  not  found  among  his  Puritan  friends  the  gratitude 
which  he  expected  in  return  for  his  treachery  and  cruelty.  Mence- 
forth  no  one  was  more  zealous  than  he  in  supporting  the  King  and 
Ormonde. 

The  King  had  full  confidence  in  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  but  even  the 
moderate  Catholics  made  no  secret  of  their  distrust  in  his  promises. 
That  this  distrust  was  well  founded  is  clear,  from  a  letter  of  his  to 
Prince  Charles,  in  which  he  owns  that  "for  want  of  force  to  keep  any 
dependent  on  the  King's  authority  only,  and  for  obtaining  such  a  peace 
as  might  reduce  the  army  and  the  Confederates  under  the  King's 
obedience,  he  had  been  constrained  to  subject  his  Majesty's  power  to 
compliances  agreeable  with  neither."  One  of  the  charges  brought 
against  him  in  the  "Declaration"  of  Jamestown  was,  "that  his  lix- 
cellcncy,  when  prospering,  put  no  trust  of  places  taken,  into  the  hands 
of  Catholics :  by  this  his  diffidence  in  Catholics,  and  by  other  his 
actions  and  expressions,  the  Catholic  army  had  not  heart  to  fight  or 
be  under  his  command;  and  feared  greatly,  if  he  mastered  the  enemy, 
and  with  them  the  Commissioners  of  Trust,  or  the  greater  part  of 
them,  and  many  thousands  of  the  kingdom  also  feared  he  would  have 
brought  the  Catholic  subjects  and  their  religion  to  their  old  slavery.'* 
According  to  the  terms  of  the  Peace,  his  powers  as  Lord  Lieutenant 
should  still  continue,  but  he  should  be  assisted  in  the  government  by 
a  council  of  twelve  members  chosen  from  the  Assembly  of  the  Con- 
federates, whose  chief  duty  it  was  to  look  to  the  due  performance  of 
the  Articles,  "until  they  should  be  ratified  in  a  full  and  peaceful  con- 
vention of  the  parliament."  These,  styled  "Commissioners  of  Trust," 
and  sometimes  "Interval  Commissioners,"  were  Lord  Dillon  of  Cos- 
tello.  Lord  Muskerry,  Lord  Athenry,  Alexander  M'Donnell,  Sir  Lucas 
Dillon,  Sir  Nicholas  Plunkett,  Sir  Richard  Barnwall.  Geoffrey  Browne, 
Donogh  O'Callaghan,  Turlogh  O'Neill,  Miles  O'Reilly,  and  Gerald 
I-^ennell.  They  weie,  jointly  with  Ormonde,  vested  with  power  to 
levy  soldiers,  raise  money,  erect  garrisons,  and  appoint  governors  ; 
he  could  do  nothing  of  importance  without  the  consent  of  a  majority 
of  them.  It  was  not  without  a  struggle  that  he  accepted  such  re- 
straint and  limitation  to  his  power  ;  but  he  felt  that  in  the  face  of 
the  present  dangers  union  should  be  purchased  at  almost  any  price. 
Iksides,  most  of  the  Commissioners  were  partisans  of  his  own,  and 
"  their  affections  and  abilities  were  so  well  known  and  approved  by 

1  This  poor  wavering  panther,  Inchiquin,  with  so  many  jumps  and  leapings  from  King 
to  Parliament,  from  Parliament  to  King,  and  now  the  fourth  or  fifth  of  his  inconstant 
whirlings  to  Ormdnd  >." — Aphorismal  D-iscovery  of  Treasonable  Farlion,  vol.  i.  p.  182; 
edited  by  J.  T.Gilbert  ;  Dublin,  1S79.  See  Appendix  ii.  :  "  Morrojgh  O'Brien,  Lord  Inchi- 
quin."' 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


him  that,  having  most  of  them  inclined  to  the  same  good  end  with 
him,  he  presumed  he  should,  with  the  less  difficulty,  be  able  to  pur- 
suade  them  which  were  the  nearest  and  most  natural  ways  that  con- 
duced thej-eunto." 

Soon  after  the  conclusion  of  the  Peace,  in  order  to  gain  over  the 
Parliamentarians  in  Ireland,  who  still  retained  some  respect  for  the 
oath  of  allegiance  which  they  had  taken  to  serve  the  Sovereign  and 
the  Parliament,  Ormonde  published  a  declaration,  in  which  he  re- 
minded them  of  the  regard  he  had  at  all  times  shown  for  the  interests 
of  the  Protestant  religion,  in  proof  whereof  he  appealed  to  the  Arti- 
cles of  the  Peace,  "the  sum  of  which,"  he  declared,  "was  the  indulg- 
ing of  some  moderate  concessions  to  the  Catholics,  made  until  such 
time  as  the  Act  of  Oblivion  should  be  passed  in  Parliament  ;  that  he 
had  specially  excepted  from  the  advantage  of  the  Peace  those  who 
had  any  part  in  the  crimes  committed  in  the  beginning  or  the  course 
of  the  rebellion.  The  Articles  were  not  agreed  to  until  all  hope  of  a 
treaty  between  the  Kmg  and  the  Parliament  was  at  an  end,  and  the 
army  had  proclaimed  their  purpose  to  commit  a  horrid  and  execrable 
paracide  in  the  sacred  person  of  his  Majesty.  The  blame  thereof,  if 
any,  might  be  laid  on  those  who  made  such  a  treaty  necessary."  Me 
wrote  conciliatory  letters  to  Michael  Jones,i  governor  of  Dublin,  and 
to  Sir  Charles  Coote,^  who  was  in  command  of  the  fortress  of  Derry, 
inviting  them  and  the  forces  under  their  command  to  return  to  their 
allegiance  and  submit  to  the  King's  authority.  Jones  rejected  his 
overtures,  pretending  that  "  he  felt  himself  bound  in  honor  to  obey 
those  who  had  entrusted  him  with  the  important  office  which  he  held." 
Coote  had  frequently  professed  "  that  if  at  any  time  he  should  discover 
the  least  purpose  in  the  Parliament  of  England  to  change  the  govern- 
ment, or  to  wrong  the  King  either  in  his  person  or  posterity,  he  would 
sooner  beg  his  bread  than  be  a  minister  to  their  proceedings."  In 
reply  to  Ormonde's  letter,  he  renewed  his  profession  of  fidelity,  and 
protested  that  "  as  soon  as  the  King  or  his  fleet,  or  any  person  law- 
fully authorized  by  him,  should  lay  the  command  on  him,  and  showed 

1  He  was  one  of  the  four  sons  of  Dr.  Lewis  Jones,  a  Welshman,  Protestant  bishop  of 
Killaloe  from  1633  to  1646.  Another  of  his  sons,  Henry,  was  bishop  of  Clogher  and  scout- 
master general  to  Cromwell,  "a  ])ost,"  says  Ware,  "not  so  decent  for  one  of  his  function." 
Works  of  Sir  James  Ware,  edited  by  Harris,  vol.  i.  p.  160;  Dublin,  1764.  "In  May,  1652, 
Dr.  Henry  Jones,  then  bishop  of  Clogher  and  scoutmaster  general,  appeared  at  the  council 
of  general  and  field  officers  of  Ludlow's  army,  held  at  Kilkenny  and  made  the  officers  protest, 
through  a  dread  of  the  Lord  they  trusted,  against  their  General's  too  great  aptness  to  mercy, 
so  they  termed  it,  and  sparing  those  whom  the  Lord  was  pursuing  with  his  great  severity." — 
Letter  of  the  General  and  Field  officers,  &c.,  to  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Conmions,  in  The 
Kilketiny  ArcluEological  Jourtud  iox  1S67,  p.  62.  Theophilus  was  a  colonel  in  the  Parliamen- 
tary army  and  governor  of  Leighlin  in  1651. 

2  This  was  Sir  CharLs  Coote  the  younger.  The  elder  was  killed  at  the  siege  of  Trim  in 
1642,  having  been  shot  through  the  body  by  one  of  his  own  troo[5ers,  whether  by  design  or 
accident  was  never  known.  "  His  body  was  brought  to  Dublin  and  there  interred  with  great 
solemnity,  floods  of  English  tears  accompanying  him  to  the  grave." — Borlase's  Rebellion,  p. 
79.     He  was  interred  with  the  ensuing  epitaph  : 

"  England's  lionor,  Scotland's  wonder, 

Ireland's  terror,  liere  lies  under." 

Aphor.  Disc,  vol.  i.  p.  32. 
The  same  author  says  the  miraculous  statue  of  Our  Lady  of   Trim  was  burned  by  his  son, 
Richard  Coote. —  Ibid.     The   cruelties  of  both   father  and  sons  are  still  household  words 
throughout  Ireland. 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


a  prol)ablc  appearance  of  ])o\vcr  and  success  to  make  liini  hope  for 
security,  nobody  should  more  freely  and  fully  evidence  the  sincerity 
of  his  affection  to  the  King's  service  than  himself."^  But  these  pro- 
testations were  only  meant  to  gain  time  until  succors  were  sent  him 
from  England.  Two  months  later,  a  mutiny  broke  out  among  some 
of  the  regiments  under  his  command,  in  consequence  of  the  imprison- 
ment of  their  officers,  who  were  found  to  be  in  correspondence  with 
Ormonde.  The  men  ran  to  arms,  rescued  the  prisoners,  and  took 
possession  of  the  town  and  fortress  of  lumiskillen.  I^^ncouraged  by 
the  success  of  their  comrades,  several  officers  of  the  old  Scotch  reg- 
iments in  the  north,  sent  to  assure  the  Lord  Li-cutenant  of  their 
readiness  to  serve  the  King  with  the  forces  under  their  command. 
They  had  opposed  the  royal  authority,  not  with  a  view  of  extinguish- 
ing the  monarchy,  but  for  the  purpose  of  restraining  the  prerogative 
within  due  limits.  Now  they  loudly  professed  their  abhorrence  of 
those  who  had  compassed  the  King's  death.  But  unhappily  their 
abhorrence  of  the  Irish  was  equally  violent  ;  they  would  take  no  part 
with  the  Confederates.  They  asked  that  commissioners  should  be 
appointed  to  arrange  the  terms  on  which  their  services  would  be 
accepted,  and  that  i,ooo  horse  should  go  to  their  aid.  Ormonde  sent 
the  Commissioners,  and  promised  that  Inchiquin,  with  4,000  foot, 
should  be  despatched  immediately  to  Athlone,  in  order  to  support 
them.  They,  too,  rose  in  arms  and  blocked  up  their  commander.  Sir 
Charles  Coote,  in  Derry. 

Towards  the  end  of  January  the  royal  fleet,  numbering  sixteen 
frigates,^  under  the  command  of  Prince  Rupert,'^  arrived  off  the  coast 
of  Munster.  A  few  days  later  it  arrived  in  Kinsale  Harbor.  Owing 
]:)artly  to  the  Prince's  jealousy  of  Ormond,  partly  to  the  intrigues  of 
those  about  him,  he  remained  almost  wholly  inactive.  At  rare  inter- 
vals some  of  his  ships  put  to  sea,  and  cruising  off  the  southern  coasts, 
seized  on  English  merchantmen.  At  first  the  prizes  were  abundant, 
but  soon  the  traders  learned  to  avoid  the  danger  by  choosing  another 
route  or  by  remaining  safe  within  the  English  ports.  Ormonde  be- 
sought him  "  to  remember  that  the  ships  could  not  be  employed  more 

1  Cox,  in  tlie  preface  of  his  Hiberiiia  Anglicana,  spcalting  of  the  different  parties  then  in 
Ireland,  says  :  ''  That  these  distinctions  may  appear  to  be  neither  trivial  nor  merely  notional, 
it  will  he  necessary  to  give  instances  of  these  several  factions  in  the  late  Iiish  wars.  First, 
there  was  an  army  of  all  mere  Irish,  not  an  English  Papist  atiiong  them,  commanded  by  the 
Hishop  of  Clogher;  and  another  of  mere  English, .all  Papists,  under  General  Preston;  and 
secondly,  there  was  an  army  of  old  iMiglish  and  Irish  under  the  Lords  Mountgarrett,  Taaffe, 
itc.  ;  and  an  army  of  new  l'",nglish,  commaiulcd  by  the  I'",arls  of  (Umnnde,  Inchi(]uin,  &c.  ;  and 
thirdly,  there  was  an  army  of  Pajiists  under  the  Nuncio  ;  and  an  aimy  of  Protestants,  com- 
manded by  the  Mar(]uis  of  Ormonde."  See  also  Account  of  the  Carle  MSS.,  by  Rev.  C.  W. 
Russell  and  J.  P.  Prendergast,  p.  114;  London,  1S71. 

2"  In  May  1648,  the  fleet,  then  stationed  in  the  Downs,  declared  for  the  King,  and  with 
out  any  leader  above  the  degree  of  boatswain,  sailed  for  Holland,  where  the  Duke  of  York, 
and  later  the  Prince  of  Wales,  tcok  command  of  them."  Guizot's  History  of  the  English 
A'c'voiiition,  p    3S0  ;  London,  1846. 

'  Rupert  was  the  son  of  the  Elector  Palatine  Frederick  V.  and  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
James  I..  King  of  England.  At  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  War  he  got  from  his  uncle, 
Charles  I.,  the  command  of  a  regiment  ol  horse.  His  dashing  bravery,  become  a  proverb 
ever  since,  was  often  marred  by  his  rashness.  In  1648  he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of 
the  royal  fleet.  After  the  Restoration  he  devoted  his  time  to  physical  and  chemical  re- 
searches.    The  glass  toy,  known  as  Prince  Rupert's  drop,  has  its  name  from  him. 


CROMWELL  ly  IRELAND. 


usefully  than  in  helping  to  reduce  Derry  and  the  fort  near  it ;  the 
officers  would  thus  become  absolute  masters  of  that  side  of  the  north. 
and  be  able  to  lend  considerable  assistance  towards  the  reduction  of 
any  other  part  of  the  kingdom.  He  added  that  he  was  well  assured 
all  the  shipping  belonging  to  the  rebels  on  the  coast  of  England 
towards  Ireland  was  no  more  than  three  frigates,  which  were  appointed 
to  convoy  over  some  forces,  designed  and  lying  ready  at  the  water- 
side, for  the  relief  of  Dublin  ;  and  of  those  three,  there  was  only  one 
of  any  considerable  strength,  and  she  carried  but  thirty  guns.  The 
interruption  which  might  be  given  to  that  access  of  strength  to  Jones 
would,  in  all  probability,  render  the  work  against  him  easy ;  whereas, 
on  the  contrary,  if  he  was  supplied,  it  would  be  almost  a  desperate 
undertaking,  and  himself  should  be  forced  to  a  defensive  war.  This 
being  the  state  of  affairs  about  Dublin  and  Derry,  he  humbly  left  it 
to  his  Highness  to  consider  how  these  supplies,  so  much  to  be  feared, 
might  be  easily  prevented,  the  good  success  of  the  King's  service  in 
that  kingdom  chiefly  depending  thereon."  But  Rupert  continued 
inactive  at  Kinsale,  nor  would  he  furnish  Ormonde  with  the  prize- 
money  which  the  King  had  ordered  him  to  pay  over  for  the  public 
service.  Soon  after  he  was  blocked  up  in  that  port  by  the  Parliament- 
ary fleet  under  Blake  and  Deane,  and  prevented  from  rendering  any 
assistance  whatever  to  the  land  forces,  during  the  whole  summer. 

Owen  Roe  O'Neill  was  almost  the  only  person  of  importance 
among  the  Catholics  who  held  aloof.  He  was  essentially  a  represent- 
ative man,  the  leader  of  the  old  Irish,  and  accepted  by  them  as  such. 
The  prestige  of  that  party  and  of  their  leader  had  been  lessened  by 
the  departure  of  the  legate  Rinuccini,  who,  consistent  to  the  last  in 
upholding  the  rights,  civil  and  religious,  of  the  Irish  people,  had 
quitted  Ireland  only  when  he  despaired  of  the  successful  issue  of  such 
a  line  of  policy.^  O'Neill  was  still  supported  by  the  townsmen  of 
Limerick,  Waterford  and  Galway,  On  his  side,  too,  were  his  sturdy 
clansmen  of  the  North.  But  a  few  years  before,  six  of  the  northern 
counties  had  been  seized  on  by  the  English  government  and  planted 
with  English  and  Scotch  undertakers.  The  natives  were  driven  from 
their  homes  ;  from  the  rich  valleys  and  plains,  and  forced  to  seek 
shelter  and  support  on  the  barren  mountains  and  in  the  wild  woods.^ 
Many  of  the  generation  that  had  then  been  mercilessly  plundered  bad 
passed  away;  they  had  perished  of  hunger  and  disease,  or  they  had 
fallen  in  the  unequal  fight,  while  attempting  to  recover  the  homes 
which  they  had  lost  ;  but  they  left  to  their  children  the  legacy  of 
revenge.      However   much   they  loved    their  native  land,  they  loved 

1  Rinuccini  set  sail  from  Galway  February  23CI,  1649.  He  had  passed  nearly  three  years 
and  a  half  in  Ireland,  having  landed  at  Kenmare  October  22d,  1645.  His  letters  from  Ire- 
land were  published  in  Florence  in  1844,  under  the  title  :  Niinziahira  in  Irlanda  lii^  Afoitsij^- 
nor  G.  B.  Rinuccini,  negli  anni  1645  a  1649.  A  translation  by  Miss  Hutton  was  issued  in 
Dublin  in  1873. 

2  Tiie  author  of  the  Aphorismal  Disccn'ery  describes  them  as  "  being  hunted  (uit  by  Gen- 
eral Leslie  like  deer  or  savage  beasts,  and  bleeding  under  the  force  of  two  warlike  nations, 
the  English  and  the  Scotch."—  Aphor  Disc,  vol.  i.  p.  42.  In  the  -'Kemonstrance  of  the 
Ulster  Irish,"  presented  to  Charles  I.  in  1641,  they  say  :  "  We  may  boldiv  affirm  that  we  are 
the  most  miserable  and  most  unhappy  nation  of  the  Christian  world."— /3/V/.,  p.  455,  Appen- 
dix 11. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


their  faitl\  still  more.  By  them  no  settlement  was  reckoned  satisfac- 
tory unless  it  secured  absolute  freedom  for  the  exercise  of  the  Catholic 
faith  and  the  complete  restoration  of  all  its  ancient  rights  and  priv- 
ileges. Hence,  the  war  in  which  they  were  engaged  was  to  them  a 
holy  war  ;  a  war  waged  in  defence  of  religion  against  heresy  and  un- 
belief. O'Neill  had  at  this  time  under  his  command  an  army  more 
numerous  and  better  disciplined  than  that  of  the  Confederates.  His 
forces  amounted  to  5,000  foot  and  300  horse.  At  the  head  of  such  an 
army  he  hoped  to  be  able  to  maintain  his  ground  until  a  favorable 
opportunity  offered  of  insisting  on  his  own  rights  and  those  of  his 
clansmen. 

Ormonde  strove  to  gam  him  over  to  his  side  ;  for  he  knew  that  if 
O'Neill  stood  out,  the  quarrel  would  be  still  kept  up  between  the 
Nuncio's  and  the  King's  parties,  the  forces  of  the  kingdom  would  be 
divided,  and  many  of  the  cities  would  refuse  to  pay  the  taxes  imposed 
on  them.  Two  of  the  Commissioners  of  Trust  were  appointed  to  treat 
with  him.  His  first  demand  was  that  the  six  counties  of  Ulster,  lately 
confiscated,  should  be  restored  to  the  native  Irish,  But  these  and 
the  other  terms  which  he  proposed  were  not  found  acceptable,  and 
the  conference  came  to  nothing.  Indeed  the  envoys  made  no  secret 
of  their  enmity  to  him  and  their  unwillingness  to  accept  from  him  any 
terms  short  of  an  absolute  and  unconditional  surrender.  "  Their 
aversion  and  malice  to  me  and  my  party,"  he  wrote  to  Ormonde,  "are 
such  as  that  they  will  study  and  devise  all  the  ways  they  can  invent 
to  hinder  any  settlement  or  union  between  your  Excellency  and  us." 

O'Neill  had  been  proclaimed  "  a  traitor  and  rebel  against  the 
King  and  the  fundamental  laws  of  the  land  ;  a  common  disturber  of 
the  peace,  tranquility  and  quiet  of  the  kingdom,  and  a  manifest  op- 
jK)ser  of  the  government  of  the  Confederates,  contrary  to  his  oath."  ^ 
Stung  with  honest  indignation,  he  turned  to  the  Parliamentary  party 
and  sought  to  make  terms  with  them  In  truth  there  was  little  room 
for  choice  left  him.  From  his  camp,  at  Cavan,  he  wrote  to  Rinuccini 
on  the  i8th  of  May:  "We  arc  almost  reduced  to  despair.  On  the 
one  hand,  Ormonde  entreats  us  to  join  him  ;  on  the  other,  the  Parlia- 
mentary party  seeks  our  friendship.  God  knows  we  hate  and  detest 
both  alike."  And  writing  about  the  same  time  to  Massari,  Dean  of 
P'ermo,  who  had  followed  the  Nuncio  to  Ireland,  he  says  :  "  Either 
course  is  worse  to  me  than  death.  .  .  .  Yet  so  pressing  are  our  wants, 
that  we  must  unite  with  one  or  the  other,  unless  we  get  help  very 
soon." 

While  the  preparations  for  the  Irish  campaign  were  making  in 
England,  it  was  found  necessary  to  have  recourse  to  various  expedi- 
ents for  the  preservation  of  the  places  which  were  still  in  the  hands 
of  the  Parliament.  One  of  these  was  to  gain  over  to  the  cause  of  the 
party  the  Catholics  of  the  two  kingdoms.  Conferences  were  held 
through  the  Spanish  Ambassador  with  some  Irish  ecclesiastics,  and 
with  Sir  Kcnelm  Digby  and  Sir  John  Winter,  on  behalf  of  the  Eng- 

'  See  the  proclamation  against  Owen  O'Neill  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Confederate 
Catholics  in  Aphor.  Disc,  vol.  i.  p.  747;  it  was  issued  September  30th,  1648.  Ormonde  had 
landed  the  day  before  from  France. 


CHOMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


lish  Catholics.  It  was  proposed  that  toleration  should  be  j^ranted  for 
the  exercise  of  the  Catholic  religion,  and  that  Catholics  should  in  turn 
disclaim  the  temporal  pretensions  of  the  Pope,  and  maintain  10,000 
men  for  the  service  of  the  Commonwealth.  An  order  had  been  lately- 
made  by  Parliament,  admitting  Catholics  to  compound  for  their  estates 
on  easy  terms,  and  allowing  them  to  take  a  form  of  oath  confined 
solely  to  temporal  matters.  O'Neill  did  not  trust  this  sudden  show 
of  friendship  ;  at  the  head  of  his  army  he  preferred  to  bide  his  time. 
One  thing  he  needed  very  urgently — ammunition. ^  In  the  beginning 
of  May  he  summoned  a  meeting  of  his  followers  at  Belturbet.  There 
it  was  agreed  to  accept  Sir  Charles  Coote's  proposal,  made  some  time 
before,  that  commissioners  should  be  appointed  by  both  parties  to 
confer  together  on  the  terms  of  a  treaty.  They  met  at  Newtown, 
near  Dromahaire,  in  the  county  of  Leitrim.  O'Neill  demanded  liberty 
of  conscience  for  himself  and  all  his  followers  ;  an  act  of  oblivion  for 
all  done  since  1641  ;  restoration  of  all  the  confiscated  lands  in  Ulster 
to  their  original  owners,  and  the  possession  of  a  seaport  in  that 
province  ;  for  himself  a  competent  command,  and  provision  for  his 
army  as  the  rest  of  the  forces.  These  terms  we're  agreed  upon. 
To  meet  O'Neill's  present  wants,  it  was  further  agreed  that  he 
should  receive  thirty  barrels  of  powder,  with  ball  and  match  in  pro- 
portion, and  300  beeves  or  ^400,  on  condition  that  he  should  march 
to  the  relief  of  Derry,  then  blockaded  by  the  Scots,  under  Lord 
Montgomery  of  Ardes.^  But  Sir  Charles  Coote  refused  to  abide  by 
the  articles  agreed  to  by  his  Commissioners.  O'Neill  next  ad- 
dressed himseff  to  Colonel  Monk,  and  offered  him  the  same  terms. 
These  Monk  gladly  accepted,  and  on  the  8th  of  May  he  agreed  to  a 
cessation  of  hostilities  for  three  months. ^  He  was  then  at  Dundalk; 
and  hearing  of  Inchiquin's  approach,  after  the  taking  of  Drogheda, 
and  of  Lord  Montgomery's  advance  from  the  north  to  join  Ormonde, 
then  investing  Dublin,  he  sent  word  to  O'Neill,  in  pursuance  of  the 
Articles  made  between  them,  to  draw  his  forces  together,  and  be  in 
readiness  for  his  relief,  as  soon  as  the  enemy  drew  near.  O'Neill 
replied  that  he  was  in  want  of  ammunition  ;  to  obtain  this  he  marched 
to  Glasdroman,  within  seven  miles  of  Dundalk.  From  that  place  he 
sent  1,200  of  his  best  foot  and  200  horse,*  under  the'command  of  his 
Lieutenant  General  Ferrall.^     They  received  from  Monk  thirty  bar- 


'  "There  was  a  mighty  scarcity  of  powder  and  shot,  and  he  was  destitute  ot'  all  human 
way  to  come  by  it."     Apkor.  Disc,  vol.  ii.  p.  41. 

2  Hugh,  Viscount  Montgomery  of  Ardes,  had  been  appointed  by  the  Parliament  com- 
mander of  the  horse  in  Ulster,  lie  was  taken  prisoner  at  IJcnburb,  but  released  boon  alter, 
in  exchange  for  the  Earl  of  Westmeath.  In  the  Carte  M.S.S.  there  is  a  letter  (-f  Owen  Koe 
to  Charles  I.,  declining  to  obey  the  order  of  his  Majesty  "  for  the  enlargement  of  so  notorious 
a  rebel."     See  Rev.  C.  P.  Meehan's  Fli};ht  of  the  Earls,  p.  499;  Dublin,  1870. 

3  The  Perfect  Diurnal  of  August  15th,  1649  gives  "  The  reasons  reducing  Colonel  Monk 
to  make  a  cessation  with  Owen  Roe  O'Neill,  and  the  Articles  agreed  on  between  them." 

*  Cox  says  500  foot  and  300  horse  ;  ILb.  AngL,  Reign   of  Charles  II.,  p.  4. 

6  Ferrall  had  come  from  Flanders  in  1643  ;  he  and  Henry  O'Neill,  Owen  Roe's  son, 
landed  at  Wexford  with  a  few  officers  and  arms  for  one  troop  of  horse.  He  was  the  trusted 
friend  of  Owen  Roe.  See  O^Cownox^  J-/ istory  of  the  Irish  Briq-ti</es,  p.  44;  Dublin,  1855 
Tht  author  of  the  Aphor,  Disc,  always  speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of  O'Farrell's  bravery  and 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  9 

re'.s  of  powder,  with  match  and  bullets  in  proportion.  Inchiquin  had 
intelligence  of  the  movements  of  the  convoy,  and  sent  six  troops  of 
horse,  under  Colonel  Trevor,  to  intercept  it.  They  met  on  an  open 
road.  The  escort  was  totally  routed.  Farrall,  with  about  thirty 
horse,  escaped  by  flight  ;  the  infantry  were  nearly  all  cut  to  pieces, 
not  abcn-e  forty  of  them  escaping.  F'rom  some  of  the  prisoners 
Inchiquin  learned  the  weak  condition  of  Uundalk,  Two  days  later 
he  invested  the  town.  The  garrison  forced  Monk  to  surrender.  The 
greater  number  jof  them  joined  Inchiquin  ;  "the  soldiers  ran  over  the 
trenches  to  him,  swearing  deep  oaths  that  they  would  not  engage  with 
Monk,  who  had  entered  into  a  confederacy  with  Owen  Roe,  the  head 
of  the  native  Irish."  A  few  days  after  Trim  surrendered,  owing  to 
the  treachery  of  Captain  Martain  ;  the  garrison  here  too  joined 
Inchiquin. 

O'Neill  marched  to  Clones.  There  an  express  reached  him  from 
Sir  Charles  Coote,  informing  him  that  Dcrry  was  still  closely  besieged 
by  the  Scots,  under  Lord  Montgomery,  and  the  garrison  reduced  almost 
to  extremities,  and  accepting  his  former  proposals,  on  condition  that 
he  would  raise  the  seige.  O'Neill  set  off  at  the  head  of  his  army  and 
came  to  Ballykelly.  The  Scots,  hearing  of  his  approach,  retired  from 
before  the  town,  and  posted  away  at  full  speed,  by  day  and  night,  till 
they  crossed  the  Bann  and  reached  their  own  country.  lie  encamped 
before  the  town,  on  the  Tyrone  side  of  the  river.  Coote  came  to 
return  him  thanks,  and  invited  him  and  his  chief  officers  into  the  town, 
and  entertained  them  sumptuously. 

Though  the  treaty  saved  Derry,  it  did  not  prevent  a  spirit  of 
distrust  from  spreading  throughout  the  Parliamentary  army.  By 
many  it  was  pronounced  an  apostasy  from  the  principles  for  which  they 
had  fought.  The  horrors  of  the  massacre  of  1641'  were  once  more 
recalled  to  mind,  and  the  resolution  taken  to  avenge  the  blood  shed 
by  the  Irish.  To  appease  the  growing  discontent,  the  Parliament  at 
first  deferred  the  ratifying  of  the  treaty  ;  but  the  clamor  growing 
louder,  it  feigned  great  indignation.  O'Neill,  finding  the  cessation 
would  not  be  renewed,  sent  an  agent  to  London,  proposing  to  submit 
with  his  army  to  the  Commonwealth,  if  they  obtained  indemnity  for 
the  past,  and  an  assurance  of  their  religion  and  estates  for  the  fu- 
ture. His  agent  was  asked  by  the  "grandees"  "why  he  applied  to 
them  and  refused  to  treat  with  Ormonde."  He  replied,  "  because  the 
late  King  had  always  made  them  fair  promises  ;  but  when  they  had 
done  him  service,  and  he  could  make  better  terms  with  their  enemies, 
he  had  always  been  ready  to  sacrifice  them."  "Why,  then,  did  he 
not  apply  to  the  Parliament  sooner  .?  "  "  ]3ecause  the  men  in  power 
then  had  sworn  to  extirpate  them  ;  but  those  in  power  now  professed 
toleration  and  liberty  of  conscience."  His  conditions  were  refused. 
Monk  was  recalled  from  Ireland,  displaced,  and  for  some  time  im- 
prisoned. "  He  was  brought  before  the  House  and  asked  several 
questions,  which  he  answered  at  the  bar  of  the  House,  touching  that 
business  ;  and  though  he  gave  good  reasons  for  what  he  had  done,  and 
pointed  out  the  advantages  which  the  Parliament  had  gained  thereby, 
yet   he  was  told  that  if  he  escaped  punishment,  it  was  owing  to  his 


10  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 

good  intentions.  On  the  loth  of  August,  tlic  Mouse  declared  that  it 
did  disapprove  of  what  Colonel  Monk  had  done,  in  concluding  a  treaty 
with  the  grand  and  bloody  Irish  rebel,  Owen  Roe  O'Neill,  and  did 
abhor  the  having  anything  to  do  with  him  therein.  Three  days  later 
the  House  passed  the  following  resolution  :  — 

Resolved,  &c.  —  That  this  House  doth  utterly  disapprove  of  the 
proceedings  of  Colonel  Monk,  in  the  treaty  and  cessation  made  be- 
tween him  and  Ov/en  Roe  O'Neill  ;  and  that  the  innocent  blood  which 
had  been  shed  in  Ireland  is  so  fresh  in  the  memory  of  this  House, 
that  this  House  doth  detest  and  abhor  the  thoughts  of  closing  with 
any  party  of  Popish  rebels  there  who  have  had  their  hands  in  the 
shedding  that  blood.  Nevertheless,  the  House  being  satisfied  that 
what  the  said  Colonel  Monk  did  therein  was,  in  his  apprehension, 
necessary  for  the  preservation  of  the  Parliament  of  England's  inter- 
est, the  House  is  content  that  the  further  consideration  thereof,  as  to 
him,  be  laid  aside,  and  shall  not  at  any  time  hereafter  be  called  in 
question. 

The  Parliament  also  disapproved  of  Coote's  treaty  with  O'Neill, 
though  well  satisfied  of  his  diligence  and  integrity  in  preserving  the 
garrison  of  Londonderry.  He  strove  to  soften  their  anger  "  by  re- 
minding them  that  it  was  no  new  thing  with  the  most  wise  God  to 
make  use  of  wicked  instruments  to  bring  about  a  good  "design  for  the 
advancement  of  his  glory.  Yet,  many  were  of  opinion  that  all  that 
was  done  both  by  Sir  Charles  Coote  and  by  Monk,  was  transacted  by 
the  privity,  if  not  consent,  of  the  grandees  in  England  ;  but  the 
grounds  to  fasten  this  upon  them  could  never  be  found,  though  the 
business  was  narrowly  searched  into."  The  Council  of  State  de- 
clared Sir  Kenelm  Digby  "  a  dangerous  person  ; "  he  was  ordered  to 
depart  the  Commonwealth  within  twenty  days,  and  not  to  return  into 
any  of  the  dominions  of  England  without  leave  of  the  House,  under 
pain  of  death  and  confiscation  of  estate.  Three  days  later  it  declared 
that  all  persons  who  had  served  the  Parliament  of  England  in  Ireland 
and  had  betrayed  their  trust,  and  had  adhered,  or  should  adhere  to, 
or  aid,  or  assist  Charles  Stuart,  eldest  son  of  the  late  King,  were 
traitors  and  rebels,  and  ordered  that  their  lands  should  be  confiscated 
and  their  persons  proceeded  against  by  martial  law. 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  H 


CHAPTER  II. 

TIIF.     nATTI.E  OF   haggotratii. 

Ormonde's  nrmy — Charles  it.  urged  to  come  to  Ireland — Muster  of  the  Army — March 
through  Carlow  and  Kildare — Encampment  before  Dublin — Inchiquin  takes  Drogheda 
and  Trim — Dublin  invested — Arrival  of  Reinforcements — Battle  ot  Baggotrath — Cause 
of  the  Defeat — Ormonde's  Movements — Jones'  letter — Orders  of  the  Council  of  State. 

Okmonde  next  set  about  putting  an  army  on  foot.  It  was  no  easy- 
task  to  bring  together  men  differing  in  nationality  and  religion  ;  to 
unite  those  who  for  eight  years  had  waged  a  bitter  war  against  each 
other.  The  Commissioners  of  Trust  were  bound  by  the  terms  of  the 
treaty  to  supply  him  with  15,000  foot  and  2,500  horse.  But  the  prov- 
inces, wasted  by  a  long-continued  war,  plundered  by  friend  and  by 
foe  alike,  could  not  maintain  such  a  number.  A  tax  of  ;^"6o,ooo  had 
been  assessed  on  the  kingdom  ;  when  the  money  was  called  for,  it  was 
found  that  none  of  it  had  been  collected.  Ormonde  applied  to  several 
of  the  cities  and  towns  for  aid.  These  declined  to  obey  any  orders 
of  the  General  Asseml)ly,  and  granted  or  denied  supplies  as  it  suited 
them.  At  Waterford  he  raised  ;£y,ooo  by  mortgaging  the  King's 
rents  and  customs  ;  ;){^5,ooo  was  promised  by  Limerick  and  Galway 
on  the  same  terms.  The  securities  were  reluctantly  accepted,  and 
the  money  slowly  paid  in. 

In  liis  distress  he  turned  to  the  King  for  help.  He  earnestly  be- 
sought Charles  to  come  to  Ireland,  assuring  him  that  his  presence 
there  would  unite  the  contending  parties  and  bring  the  whole  nation 
under  his  allegiance  ;  it  would  encourage  those  who  were  loyal ;  it 
would  draw  to  his  standard  most  of  the  Parliamentary  forces;  Jones' 
men  were  deserting  every  day  in  considerable  numbers ;  perhaps 
Jones  himself  would  come  over;  even  O'Neill  would  be  reconciled, 
since  he  had  already,  by  a  private  messenger,  given  the  King  the 
strongest  assurances  of  his  fidelity,  and  of  his  readiness  to  submit  im- 
mediately on  his  arrival.  But  he  suppressed  very  carefully  the  main 
reason  why  he  wished  the  King  to  come.  The  chief  power,  civil  and 
military,  was  in  tlie  hands  of  the  Commissioners  of  Trust ;  they  car- 
ried on  the  govei'iiment  of  the  country.  The  King's  presence  would, 
of  course,  cause  all  this  power  to  be  transferred  to  himself,  or  rather, 
seeing  the  yielding  nature  of  Charles'  character,  to  the  hands  of 
Ormonde  —  a  consummation  he  anxiously  wished  for  and  strove  to 
bring  about  by  every  means  in  his  power.  Charles  seemed  convinced 
that  it  was  his  duty  to  come  and  take  up  the  defence  of  his  own 
cause.  When  the  Scotch  commissioners  attended  him  at  the  Hague, 
he  deferred  giving  them  an  answer  until  his  arrival  in  Ireland.  His 
heavy  baggage  and  his  inferior  servants  were  actually  landed.  But 
three  months  were  wasted  in  the  vain  hope  of  getting  assistance  froni 


BOSTON  COT.l.EGE  LinilAKY 


12  CROMWELL    W  IRELAND. 

the  States  General  of  the  United  Provinces.  When  he  reached  Jer- 
sey, on  his  way  to  Ireland,  the  opportunity  was  lost,  the  time  for 
action  had  gone  by. 

Ormonde,  anxious  to  take  the  field  early  in  spring,  appointed  the 
4th  of  March  for  the  muster  of  the  forces  in  the  county  of  Tipperary. 
By  the  beginning  of  May  he  had  got  together  about  2,000  foot  and  300 
horse  at  Cashel.  At  their  head  he  put  Lord  Castlehaven,i  and  bade 
him  attempt  the  strong  places  still  held  by  O'Neill  in  Leinster,  which 
it  would  be  dangerous  to  leave  behind  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy  when 
the  army  advanced  on  Dublin.  He  captured  in  quick  succession  the 
castles  of  Maryborough,  Athy,  and  Rheban.^  Inchiquin  was  appointed 
lieutenant-general  of  the  army,  and  Lord  Taaffe  master  of  the  ord- 
nance. Meantime  news  reached  him  that  the  Laggan  forces  in  the 
north  had  risen  in  mutiny  and  bcseiged  Sir  Charles  Coote  in  Derry, 
and  that  Sir  George  Munroe,  who  was  at  the  head  of  the  Royalist 
army  in  Ulster,  having  by  the  aid  of  the  Marquis  of  Clanricarde  re- 
duced the  Parliamentary  garrisons,  was  on  his  way  to  join  them  ;  that 
Lord  Montgomery  and  the  Karl  of  Clanbrasil,  with  the  officers  and 
gentlemen  of  Down  and  Antrim,  had  taken  up  arms  against  Monk, 
and  made  themselves  masters  of  Coleraine  and  all  the  fortresses  in 
those  counties,  except  Lisburn,  which  could  not  hold  out  much  longer, 
since  it  was  not  provided  with  supplies  for  a  seige. 

The  grand  aim  of  Ormonde  was  to  get  hold  of  Dublin.  The  pos- 
session of  the  capital,  he  supposed,  would  not  only  secure  the  King's 
interest  in  Ireland,  but  also  cause  an  extensive  rising  in  his  favor 
throughout  England.  He  appointed  a  general  rendezvous  for  the  whole 
army  at  Clogrennan.^  At  the  end  of  May  he  had  under  his  command 
14,500  foot  and  3,700  horse  ;  he  had  but  four  pieces  of  artillery.  In 
the  beginning  of  June  he  put  himself  at  the  head  of  this  army  and  set 
out  for  Dublin.     On  the  evening  of  the  first  day  he  appeared  before 


1  James  Touchet,  Earl  of  Castlehaven  and  Baron  of  Orier,  in  Ireland,  Daron  Audley  of 
Hilleigh,  in  England.  His  grandfather  lunl  received  extensive  grants  of  forfeited  lands, 
chiefly  church  j^roperty,  from  James  I.  in  Wexford,  Kildare,  Tipperary,  Carlow,  and  Cork; 
he  took  his  title  from  a  small  village  near  Castletownsend,  in  the  county  cfCork.  Soon  after 
the  surrender  of  Galway  in  April,  1652,  he  entered  the  service  of  the  great  Conde.  He  died 
at  his  sister's  house  at  Kilcash,  near  Clonmel,  in  1684.  In  16S0  he  ]3ublished  his  Me>no:rs  of 
the  Eiii^agfinent  and  Caj-riage  of  tlu  Civil  War  of  Ireimhl  from  1642  to  1651.  He  prepared  a 
second  edition  of  tlie  work,  with  a  dedication  to  James  H.,  in  whicli  he  says  :  "  I  lay  these 
Memoirs  at  your  Majesty's  feet,  and  j^ass  them  on  my  word  not  to  contain  a  lie  or  mistake  to 
my  knowledge."  This  was  published  in  16S5.  See  Hill's  Plantation  of  Ulster,  pp.  135  and 
335  ;  Belfast,  1877  ;  and  Carte's  Life  of  Onuoiittc,  vol.  i.  p    298. 

-  Rheban  Castle,  two  mi!es  north  of  Athy,  was  erected  by  Richard  de  St.  Michel,  who 
pot  a  grant  of  lands  here  from  William  Marshal,  Earl  of  Pembroke,  in  the  reign  of  King 
John.  This  castle  and  Dunamaise  were  seized  in  1325  by  Lysagh  O'More,  and  held  by  him 
and  his  descendants  long  after.  In  1424  it  passed  to  Thomas  Pitzgerald,  later  7th  earl  of 
Kildare,  by  his  marriage  with  Dorothea,  daughter  of  Anthony  O'More.  As  it  commanded  a 
])ass  over  the  Barrow,  it  was  reckoned  of  great  importance  in  time  of  war.  Anthologia  Hiber- 
nica,  vol.  ii.  p.  162  ;  Dublin,  1793. 

8  On  the  western  bank  of  the  Barrow,  two  miles  below  Carlow.  The  fine  old  castle  is 
still  standing.  It  belonged  to  a  junior  branch  of  the  Ormonde  family.  When  the  second 
duke  was  attainted,  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Rochforts,  in  \yhose  possession  it  is 
now. 


CROMWELL  IN  lUELAND.  13 

Talbotstowii/  which,  together  with  Castlctalbot,^  was  within  three 
(lays  siirrcnclcred  to  him.  At  Kildarc  he  was  forced  to  halt  for  three 
days  for  want  of  provisions.  He  hoped  to  meet  Inchiquin  there,  who, 
with  2,000  Munster  men,  was  marching  to  join  him.  He  purposed 
falling  on  Jones,  who  was  then  with  a  foraging  party  at  Johnstown. 
Pie  crossed  the  Liffey  and  encamped  at  Naas  ;  here  he  was  joined  by 
Inchiquin  and  his  party.  A  council  of  war  was  held,  at  Avhich  it  was 
debated  whether  he  should  first  take  Drogheda,  Trim,  and  the  other 
garrisons  still  in  the  hands  of  the  Parliament,  or  march  directly  on 
Dul:)lin  and  lay  seige  to  it.  The  general  officers  were  of  opinion  that 
Dublin  should  be  attempted  immediately.  They  had  secret  informa- 
tion that  the  city  was  at  that  moment  in  a  very  distressed  state,  that 
the  stock  of  provisions  would  not  last  ten  days,  that  a  considerable 
part  of  the  garrison  was  disaffected,  and  that  whole  companies  with 
their  officers  impatiently  awaited  his  approach  to  desert.  If  Dublin 
was  taken,  the  other  strong  places  would  surrender  immediately.  If 
time  was  wasted  in  other  lesser  enterprises,  supplies  might  meanwhile 
arrive  from  England,  and  the  capture  of  Dublin  would  no  longer  be 
possible.  Still  a  want  of  supplies  hindered  his  advance.  Most  oppor- 
tunely, however,  Lord  Taaffe  arrived  with  a  sum  of  ;!^2,ooo,  contri- 
butecl  by  the  province  of  Connaught  towards  the  support  of  the  army. 
Crossing  the  Liffey  at  Lucan  on  the  morning  of  June  19th,  the  army 
advanced  to  Castleknock.  Jones,  the  governor  of  Dublin,  had  drawn 
his  horse  outside  the  walls.  Some  slight  skirmishes  took  place 
between  these  and  Ormonde's  outposts.  On  the  evening  of  the  same 
day  Ormonde  drew  off  and  encamped  at  Finglas,  three  miles  to  the 
north  of  the  city.  The  next  day  he  sent  a  detachment  to  show  itself 
before  the  walls,  in  the  hope  that  its  presence  might  raise  a  tumult 
among  those  within  who  were  not  well  affected  towards  the  Parlia- 
ment. Some  of  the  garrison  deserted  to  him.  Plaving  learned  that 
Jones,  distressed  for  want  of  forage  for  hi.s  horses,  had  detached  a  part 
of  his  cavalry  to  Drogheda,  he  sent  Inchiquin  in  pursuit  with  a  large 
body  of  horse  ;  he  surprised  a  whole  troop,  and  defeated  Colonel  Coote 
at  the  head  of  three  hundred  of  their  number  ;  the  rest  fled  in  great 
disorder  to  Drogheda.  He  sent  news  of  his  success  to  Ormonde,  and 
expressed  a  hope  that  he  might  be  allowed  to  follow  up  his  advantage. 
A  council  of  war  was  held.  It  was  agreed  that  Dublin  was  so  well  for- 
tified that  an  attempt  to  take  it  by  assault  would  be  hopeless,  that  the 
army  under  Ormonde's  command  was  not  sufficiently  numerous  to 
invest  it  wholly,  especially  as  O'Neill  and  Monk,  with  the  garrisons  of 
Drogheda  and  Trim,  threatened  to  fall  on  the  lines  of  the  besiegers  ; 
that  Ormonde  should  continue  encamped  before  Dublin  with  5,000 
foot  and  1,500  horse,  to  prevent  supplies  from  entering  and  to  support 
any  revolt  within  the  city  ;  that  Inchiquin,  with  the  same.number  of 

1  Talbotstown,  two  miles  south  of  Baltinglass.  There  is  no  trace  of  the  ca=tle,  but  the 
site  is  still  pointed  out. 

2  Castletalbot,  two  miles  from  Talbotstown  ;  so  says  Clarendon,  Hist.  View,  p.  79.  The 
site  is  not  known.  Robert  Talbot  of  Castletalbot  was  one  of  the  Commons'  Representatives 
in  the  General  .Assembly  of  the  Confederate  Catholics  which  met  at  Kilkenny  January  loth, 
1647.     Ledwich's  History  of  Irishtown  and  Kilkemiv,  p.  471  ;  Dublin,  1804. 


■'4  CROMWELL    ry  IRELAND. 

horse  and  2,000  foot,  aided  by  Colonel  Mark  Trevor,  who  had  lately 
declared  for  the  King,  should  block  up  Drogheda.  An  attempt  was 
:r;ade  to  surprise  the  latter  town.  Two  of  the  gates  were  fired  :  about 
two  hundred  of  the  assailants  succeeded  in  effecting  an  entrance  ;  but 
they  were  soon  repulsed  with  considerable  loss.  Two  pieces  of  cannon 
were  sent  from  Dublin  ;  when  these  were  planted  in  position,  the  town 
surrendered,  the  garrison  being  allowed  to  march  out  to  Dublin.  Hie 
greater  number  took  service  under  Inchiquin.  We  have  already 
spoken  of  his  success  in  preventing  the  supplies  sent  by  Monk  from 
reaching  O'Neill  and  of  the  capture  of  Dundalk.  He  then  set  out  for 
Dublin  and  joined  Ormonde  while  he  lay  at  Finglas. 

Ormonde  now  prepared  to  invest  Dublin  on  all  sides,  though  his 
army,  consisting  of  7,000  foot  and  1,700  horse,  was  hardly  sufficient  to 
carry  on  the  seige  of  so  extensive  a  city  with  effect. ^  He  left  Lord 
Dillon^  with  2,500  men  to  press  the  seige  on  the  north  side  ;  with  the 
reniainder  he  crossed  the  Liffey  and  encamped  at  Rathmines,  intend- 
ing to  extend  his  works  to  the  east,  so  as  to  command  the  entrance  to 
the  river  and  prevent  any  supplies  coming  in  by  that  way.  His  con- 
fidence in  the  loyalty  of  his  men  was  unbounded.  "  That  which  only 
threatens  any  rule  to  our  success,"  he  wrote,  "is  our  wants,  which 
have  been  and  are  such  that  soldiers  have  actually  starved  by  their 
arms,  and  many  of  less  constancy  have  gone  home  ;  many  of  the  foot 
are  weak ;  yet  I  despair  not  to  be  able  to  keep  them  together,  and  to 
reduce  Dublin  if  good  supplies  of  all  sorts  come  not  speedily  to  relieve 
it.  I  am  confident  I  can  persuade  one  half  of  our  army  to  starve  out- 
right, and  I  shall  venture  upon  it  rather  than  give  up  a  game  so  fair 
on  our  side  and  so  hard  to  be  recovered  if  given  over." 

Before  he  could  carry  out  his  plans,  the  garrison  was  strengthened 
by  the  arrival  of  Colonel  Venables  from  England,  on  the  22d  of  July, 
with  a  strong  body  of  foot  ;  three  days  later,  Colonel  Reynolds^  came 
with  a  regiment  of  horse  ;  the  next  clay.  Colonel  Huncks,*  with  a  still 
larger  body  of  horse  and  foot ;  these  reinforcements  amounted  to  1,600 
foot  and  600  horse.  They  brought  word  that  the  Parliament,  consider- 
ing the  capital  sufficiently  protected  and  aware  of  the  disaffecticm  of 
the  southern  towns,  had  sent  orders  to  Cromwell  to  proceed  with  his 


^  "  Tliis  was,"  Ormonde  says,  "the  largest  list  given  by  the  officers.  Of  these  I  am 
sure  there  were  2,000  sick  and  over-reckoned  by  the  officers  for  gain  and  fear  of  reforming, 
besides  ilie  two  regiments  sent  to  Drogheda  and  Trim,  the  army  was  not  I  am  sure  S,ooo 
effective  men."     Carte's  Collection,  &c.,  vol.  ii.  p.  396. 

2  I,ord  Dillon,  a  favorite  of  Ormonde's  was  made  commander  of  the  Leinster  horse  in 
1647,  though  he  had  never  seen  a  sword  drawn  in  a  field  before,  and  though  Colonel  Fierce 
Fitzgerald  MacThomas  had  been  appointed  to  that  ])ost  by  the  Assembly.  Aphor.  Disc.  vol. 
i.  p.  I5y  \n  \\\Q.  Nioiziatura,  \i.  176,  an  account  is  given  of  his  conversion  and  reception  into 
the  church  by  Rinuccihi  in  1646. 

s  Reynolds  was  brother-in-law  of  Lord  Henry  Cromwell.  After  the  Irish  campaign,  he 
hnd  llie  command  of  the  forces  sent  to  Dunkirk  to  aid  Turenne  and  the  French  to  take  M.y- 
dyke  from  the  Spaniards.  On  his  return,  in  December,  1657,  he  was  lost  on  the  Goodwin 
Sands. 

^  The  King's  death-warrant  was  addressed  to  Colonels  Hacker,  Iluncks,  and  Phayre, 
"  willing  and  requiring  ihcm  to  see  the  sentence  of  death  executed  on  him  the  following  day." 
It  was  dated  Jan.  29th,  1649  ;  D'Aubigne's  The  Froteclor,  p.  49  ;  Edinburgh,  1S49. 


C MOM  WELL   IN  IRELAND.  15 

•irmy  to  Munstcr,^  and  that  he  waited  only  for  a  favorable  wind  to  set 
sail.  The  following  detailed  account  of  the  events  that  followed  was 
sent  by  Ormonde  to  the  King. 

"  Sonic  two  or  three  d.iys  before  the  defeat  at  Rathinines,  we  h.id  it  from  many  good 
hands  out  of  iMigland  and  from  Dublin  that  Cromwell  was  at  the  sea-side,  ready  to  embark 
for  this  kingdom  with  a  great  army,  and  that  his  design  was  for  Munster,  where  \vc  wire 
^nrc  he  had  intelligence,  and  which,  if  lost,  not  only  the  best  ports  of  the  kingdom  woidd  f.dl 
into  his  hands,  but  his  Majesty's  fleet  riding  in  them,  blocked  up  with  a  mastering  number  of- 
the  rebels'  ships,  would  doubtless  be  lost.  So  that  if  we  iiad  taken  Dublin,  which  was  very 
doubtfid,  and  lost  those  parts,  which  it  was  very  evident  we  should  if  he  landed  there,  as 
ihcy  vcie  then  guarded,  it  was  but  an  ill  exchange;  Init  if  these  jjlaccs  were  lost  and  Dublin 
H'lt  gained,  our  army  must  inevitably  have  come  to  nothing,  and  the  kingdom  fallen  to  the 
rebels  without  resistence.  Tlicsc  considerations  at  a  council  of  war  produced  these  rcsidts  : 
first,  that  the  Lord  Inchiquin,  witli  two  regiments  of  horse,-  should  then  immediately  march 
to  secure  the  province  of  Munster;  that  the  army  should  lie  still  where  it  was  till  Rathfain- 
ham'^  should  be  taken  in  ;  and  that  done,  we  should  remove  to  a  securer  quarter  at  a  place 
called  Di  imnagh,''  not  far  from  Rathfarnham,  if  after  the  taking  of  Rathfarnliam  we  found 
not  cause  to  change  tliat  part  of  our  determination.  The  next  day,  or  the  next  day  but  one, 
Rathfarnliam  was  taken  by  storm  ;  all  that  were  there  were  made  prisoners  ;  and  though  five 
hundred  soldiers  had  entered  the  castle  before  any  officers  of  note,  yet  not  one  creature  was 
hilled,  which  I  tell  you  by  tlie  way,  to  observe  the  difference  between  our  and  the  rebels 
making  use  of  a  victory." 

Inchiquin's  departure  at  such  a  critical  moment  was  a  severe  loss. 
Ormonde  now  gave  up  all  hope  of  carrying  on  the  siege.  He  sum- 
moned a  council  of  war,  at  which  he  proposed  to  raise  the  siege  and 
retire  to  Drogheda,  Trim,  and  the  other  garrisons  still  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  Royalists,  and  from  thence  endeavor  to  distress  Dublin, 
and  make  an  offensive  or  defensive  war,  as  occasion  should  offer.  His 
army  was  not  numerous  enough,  and  his  present  position  was  too 
open  to  an  attack.  The  Irish  officers  were  wholly  opposed  to  such  a 
movement ;  they  contended  that  it  would  be  little  better  than  a  dis- 
graceful retreat  ;  that  the  reduction  of  the  city  was  not  a  difficult 
task  ;  they  need  but  possess  themselves  of  the  old  castle  of  Baggo- 
trath;^  this  they  could  fortify  sufficiently  in  a  few  hours,  so  as  to 
resist  any  attack  from  the  city  ;  and  from  it  they  might  advance  their 
works  eastwards  towards  the  River  Liffey,  without  hindrance,  and 
seize  on  the  meadows  near  it,  which  was  the  sole  pasturage  left  for 
the  horses  of  the  garrison. 

1  One  of  Ormonde's  spies  wrote  to  \\'\m.  :  "  I  find  Cromwell  hath  some  friends  in  Munster, 
nnd  more  he  hopes  to  make  with  his  money,  which  may  work  much,  when  it  is  known  he  has 
it,  among  needy  men."     Aphor.  Disc..,  vol.  ii.  p.  223,  appendix  xvi. 

-  In  all  about  i,ioo  horse,  according  to  Castlehaven,  Memoirs,  p.  114. 

^  Rathfarnham  Castle  was  built  bv  Adam  Loftus,  one  of  the  favorites  of  Queen  Elizabeth, 
who  came  tn  Ireland  in  1559.  lie  became  successivelv  archbishop  of  Armagh,  archbishop  o 
I  )ublin.  and  lord  chancellnr.  He  died  in  1605.  See  Lives  of  tJie  Lord  C/iamellors  of  Ire/aud. 
by  J.  R.  O'Flanagan.  vol.  i.  p.  263  ;  London,  1870  ;  and  T/ie  Lord  Chancellors  of  Ireland,  by 
O.  ].  Rurke,  R.  L  ,  p.    65  ;  Dublin,  1879. 

■•  This  castle,  still  standing,  is  between  Crumlin  and  Clondalkin,  about  tiirce  miles  from 
Dublin,  close  to  the  Grand  Canal.  Proliably  it  was  built  by  Hugh  cle  Hernivale,  who  got  a 
erant  of  the  lands  of  Drimnagh  and  Tcreniire  from  Kitig  John.  In  the  reign  of  James  L,  the 
propel ty  passed,  after  much  litigation,  into  the  hands  of  Sir  Adam  Loftus.  Lrisli  Penny 
Journal,  No.  43  ;  Dublin,  1841. 

'"  Raggotrath  castle  stood  close  to  the  place  now  occupied  by  Begger's-Rush  barracks. 
In  1280  Kohort  P.agot  obtained  a  grant  of  the  manor  of  Rath,  near  Dublin  ;  a  castle  was  soon 
after  erected  there,  which  was  called  Raggotrath.  Daltou's  King  yames'  Army  List,  vol.  ii. 
p.  570;  Dublin,  n.  d. 


16  CHOMWtLL   J.V  IHELAyi). 

"  It  was  then  taken  into  consideration,"  continues  Ormonde,  "  what  was  to  be  done, 
and  it  was  held  necessary  ihat  we  should  possess  a  jjLice  called  Baggotrath  and  fortify  it; 
which,  if  effected,  must  necessarily  have  starved  all  their  horses  within,  which,  by  access  of 
new  forces  whilst  we  lay  at  Finglass,  were  1,200;  and  besides,  that  place  being  well  fortified, 
it  was  easy  then  to  have  ajiproached  to  the  river  side,  that  a  work  being  cast  up  there,  it 
would  be  impossible  for  any  further  succour  of  men  to  have  got  into  them.  I  should  have 
told  you  that  we  had  a  strong  party  of  horse  and  foot  left  on  the  other  side  of  the  river, 
which  hindered  their  grazing  that  way,  and  hay  they  hail  none  in  the  town.  Thereupon  it 
was  ordered  that  my  Lord  of  Castlehaven,  General  Preston,  and  Maj<jr-General  Purcell,' 
should  view  the  place  ;  and  if  they  found  it  capable  of  strengthening  in  one  night's  work, 
then  to  cause  men  with  materials  to  be  sent  as  soon  as  it  was  dark.  Accordingly,  the  Major- 
General  condiicteil  thither  1,500  foot ;  but  he  met  with  so  ill  guides  that,  thougli  it  was 
within  iialf  a  mile  of  our  leaguer,  he  got  not  thither  till  a  full  liour  before  day.-  I  sat  up  my- 
self all  that  night,  as  well  to  be  ready  to  answer  any  falling  out  of  the  enemy  as  to  finish  my 
despatches  then  ready  for  France.  iUit  as  soon  as  day  broke,  I  rode  down  to  Haggotraih, 
where  I  found  the  place  itself  not  so  strong  as  [  expected,  nor  the  work  at  all  atlvanced, 
and  strong  parties  ol  the  enemy  drawn  out  under  their  works;  yet  tney  hid  themselves  the 
best  they  cou'd  behind  some  houses  at  Lowsy  Hill,  and  in  a  hollow  betwixt  us  antl  the 
strand.  Hereupon  I  considered  whether  I  had  best  go  on  with  the  work  or  draw  off  my 
men  ;  draw  them  ofT  I  could  not  without  great  danger,  but  by  drawing  near  them  the  whole 
army,  ami  doing  that,  their  work  might  be  as  well  countenanced  as  their  retreat.  Then  i 
called  to  me  the  Major-Generals  of  the  horse  and  foot,  Purcell  and  Sir  W.  Vaughan,^  and 
showed  them  where  I  woidd  have  the  horse  and  foot  drawn,  desiring  them  accordingly  to  see 
it  done,  telling  them  and  all  the  officers  there  that  I  was  confident  Jones  would  hazard  all 
to  interrupt  our  work,  which  effected  would  so  much  annoy  him.  With  these  ordeis  I  left 
them,  determining  to  refresh  myself  with  a  little  sleep  for  the  action  I  expected,  and  in  my 
way  to  my  tent  I  caused  all  the  regiments  to  stand  to  their  arms. 

"  It  was  by  this  time  about  nine  of  the  clock,  and  I  had  not  slept  above  rn  hour,  when  1 
was  awakened  by  volleys  of  shot,  which  I  took  to  be  much  nearer  me  than  Ikiggotrath. 
However,  before  I  got  an  hundred  yards  from  my  tent,  all  those  I  left  working  were  beater 
out,  and  the  enemy  had  routed  rnd  killed  Sir  W.  Vaughan,  and  after  him  divers  parties  of 
horse  drawn  up  in  closes,  into  which  the  enemy  could  not  come  to  them  but  through  gaps 
and  in  files.  This  was  the  right  wing  of  our  army  ;  and  it  was  not  long  before  I  saw  it 
wholly  defeated,  and  many  of  them  running  away  towards  the  hills  of  Wicklow,  where  some 
of  them  were  bred  and  whither  they  knew  the  way  but  too  well.  Hereupon  I  went  to  the 
battalia,'*  consisting  of  my  Lord  Inchiqiiin's  foot,  commanded  by  Colonel  Giffard,  with  whose 

1  "The  illustrious  Sir  Patrick  Purcell,  Vice-General  of  all  Munster,  noble-heartetl,  and  a 
most  accomplished  warrior,  renowned  for  his  services  in  Germany  agamst  Sweden  and 
France  under  Ferdinand  IH.  of  august  memory,  after  the  cajiture  of  jjimerick,  was  hanged, 
his  head  cut  off  and  fixed  on  a  stake  over  the  southern  or  St.  John's  gate  of  the  city."  ^lori- 
son,  Threnodia  Iliberiio-Catholicii,  p.  68;  Innsbruck,  1659.  "It  has  pleased  God  to  deliver 
into  our  hands  two  persons  of  prmcipal  activity  and  influence  in  the  late  obstinate  holding 
out,  the  Bishop  of  Emly  and  General  Purcell,  whom  we  presently  hanged,  and  have  set  up 
their  heads  on  the  gates."  Letter  of  Ireton  to  Lenthall,  in  Rev.  C.  P.  Median's  Rise  ami 
Fall  of  the  Fj-anciscati  Moitasterids,  p.  362  ;   Dublin,  1S77. 

2  It  was  said  that  this  mishap  was  owing  to  the  treachery  of  the  guides.  According  to 
Taylor,  History  0/ the  Civil  Wars  of  Ireland ,  vol.  ii.  p.  11  ;  Edinburgh,  183 1  ;  and  liorlase, 
Rebellion,  p.  315,  when  Dr.  Edmond  O'Reilly,  the  primate,  was  tried  some  years  after  for 
burning  the  castle  of  Wicklow  and  murdering  the  garrison  during  a  cessation  nf  arms,  he 
pleaded  in  his  defence  that  the  guide  hatl  let!  the  detachment  astray  by  his  directions,  and 
his  life  was  spared  inconsequence.  See  also  Warner's  History  of  the  Rebellion,  &c.,  p.  467. 
But  this  statement  is  refuted  by  the  Most  Rev.  Dr.  M'Carthy  in  his  Collections  of  Irish 
Church  History,  vol.  i.  p.  51  ;  Dublin,  iS6r.  It  was  one  of  the  many  calumnies  published 
by  Fr.  P.  Walsh  against  those  who  opposed  him.  See  his  History  of  the  Remonstrance,  pp. 
583  and  689. 

2  Ormonde  had  given  him  the  command  that  same  morning  in  his  displeasure  against 
Purcell.  One  of  the  charges  brought  against  Ormonde  in  the  "  Declaration''  of  Jamestown, 
August  1 2th,  1650,  was  "  that  Catholic  commanders,  instanced  by  the  Commissioners  ot 
Trust,  and  therefore  by  his  Excellency's  commission  receiving  their  command  in  their  army, 
as  Colonel  Patrick  Purcell  of  Major-General  in  the  army,  and  Colonel  Pierce  Fitzgerald, 
alias  MacThomas,  Commissary  of  the  Horse,  were  removed  without  the  consent  of  the  said 
Commissioners  and  by  no  demerit  of  the  gentlemen,  and  the  said  places  given  to  Dan'e' 
O'Neill,  Esq.,  Protestant,  and  to  Sir  William  Vaughan,  knight,  and,  after  his  death,  to  Sii 
Thomas  Armstrong,  both  Protestants."     Aphor.  Disc,  vol.  ii,  p.  loi. 

*  Battalia,  i.e.  the  main  body  of  an  army  in  array. 


CROMWELL  nV  IRELAND.  17 

assistance  I  put  tlieni  into  the  best  position  I  could  ;  and  desired  my  brother  '  and  Colonel 
Reilly  to  stand  in  a  field  next  these  fool,  where  I  lelt  them  till  I  should  either  come  oi 
send  them  orders.  How  they  were  forced  thence,  or  upon  what  occasion  they  charged.  I 
know  not  ;  but  I  soon  after  perceived  the  enemys  horse  hatl  gotten  round  and  was  (joing 
through  a  lane,  close  l^y  GilTard's  foot,  where  I  stood,  to  meet  a  party  of  foot  of  their  own 
that  were  coming  up  in  front  of  us.  Giffard's  foot  gave  good  fire  at  them  and  so  di>oulcicd 
them,  that  had  not  the  two  regiments,  which  for  that  jiurpose  I  left  there,  been  forced,  or  liy 
some  apiicaring  advantage  drawn  off,  but  had  charged  tliose  disordered  horse  in  the  rear,  it 
is  ]Hobable  they  had  been  driven  over  their  foot;  to  which  when  they  had  come,  they 
rallied  by  them,  and  with  them  advanced  against  us,  who  by  this  time  were  environed  ; 
another  parly  of  theirs  of  horse  and  foot  being  then  coming  behind  us  into  the  fieUl  we 
stood  in,  and  giving  fire  both  wa)'S  at  us.  At  this  and  at  the  running  away  ol  Reilly's  regi- 
ment, our  foot  were  so  discouraged  ttial  they  fought  no  more.  On  the  contrary,  I  lieaid 
the  enemv  offer  them  cpiarter  anfl  observed  them  inclinetl  to  hearken  to  it.  'llien,  leaping 
over  a  ditch,  I  endeavored  to  get  to  our  left  wing,  hoping  to  find  it  form  ;  but  they  had  no 
sooner  ajiDrehended  and  too  well  seen  how  the  world  went  with  the  right  wing  and  battalia, 
and  had  most  of  them,  horse  and  foot,  provided  for  themselves.  It  is  true  that  a  great  le- 
serve  of  the  enemv  stood  all  this  while  facing  them  ;  which  was  the  reason  why  I  drew  not 
to  the  assistance  of  the  rest  of  the  army,  and  that  made  them  think  themselves  desperate. 
Vet  s.iinc  of  them  I  rallied  ;  but  as  I  advanced  a  step  towards  the  enemy,  they  broke  away 
behind  me,  even  upon  the  sight  of  their  own  men  running  away,  taking  them  for  the 
enemy."  '^ 

The  victors  were  prevented  from  pursuing  the  fugitives  by  the 
sudden  appearance  of  Sir  Thomas  Armstrong,  at  the  head  of  i,ooo 
fresh  horse,  who  had  just  come  to  Ormonde's  aid.  The  battle  lasted 
but  two  hours  ;  yet  600  of  Ormonde's  men  were  slain. -^  Most  of  them 
were  butchered  after  they  had  laid  down  their  arms  on  promise  of 
quarter,  and  been  for  ncarl}^  an  hour  prisoners.  Some  Walloons,  who 
were  taken  for  Irishmen,  were  also  put  to  the  sword.  Many,  too, 
were  murdered  after  they  had  been  brought  within  the  walls  of  the 
city.  Among  those  who  were  taken  prisoners  were  Ormonde's 
brother,  Colonel  Richard  Butler,  his  half-brother,  George  Mathew, 
and  Christopher,  second  carl  of  Fingal  ;  the  last  died  a  fortnight  after 
in  the  castle  of  Dublin,  where  he  was  confined.* 

Lord  Taaffe  escaped  across  the  river,  and  besought  Lord  Dillon 
to  attempt  the  recovery  of  the  field  with  the  2,500  men  under  his 
command  ;  but  "so  great  was  their  consternation,  that  they  could  not 
be  prevailed  upoii  to  try  their  fortune,  or  hardly  to  provide  for  their 
own  safety  without  confusion  ;  though  at  length  they  did  observe  the 
Lord  Lieutenant's  orders,  of  going  half  to  Drogheda  and  half  to  Trim, 
to  secure  these  garrisons." 

•  Ormonde  lost  his  baggage,  arms,  ammunition,  and  money-chest 
containing  ;^4,ooo.  He  narrowly  escaped  being  taken  prisoner. 
Colonel  Reynolds,  who  had  taken  the   Marquis'  brother,   threatened 

1  Richard  Butler,  of  Kilcash,  made  governor  of  the  county  of  Waterford  by  the  Con- 
federates.    In  the  army  he  held  the  rank  ot  lieutenant-general. 

-The  spot  where  this  battle  was  fought  is  said  to  be  the  same  where  some  three  hundred  ol 
the  citizens  of  Dublin,  besides  women  and  children,  were  slaughtered  by  the  "  mountaineers," 
the  O'l'oolcs  and  O'Byrnes,  on  Easter  Monday,  in  the  year  1209,  since  called  for  that  reason 
IMack  Monday.  For  an  account  of  this  massacre  see  Hanmer's  Chronicle  of  Ireland,  p.  370; 
Dublin,  1809. 

^  Ormonde  admitted  this  number  to  have  been  slain  on  his  sitle.  See  his  letter  to  the 
King  in  Carte's  Collection,  &c.,  vol.  ii.  p.  396.  According  to  Pate,  3,000  were  slain,  and 
2,100  common  soldiers  and  150  officers  taken  i)risoners  ;  iS,ooo  stand  of  arms,  with  the  tents, 
provisions,  guns,  and  baggage,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  See  Elenchtts  Motuum 
Nuperorititi  in  Anglia,  vol.  ii.  p.  22  ;  London,  1663. 

^  The  ApJior.  Disc,  says  he  died  of  mere  melancholy  and  grief  that  he  was  ever  of  Or- 
monde's party ;  vol.  ii.  p.  46. 


1 8  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 

to  pistol  him  if  he  did  not  point  out  to  him  the  Marquis  ;  he  was  then 
quite  near,  with  only  a  few  horse.  Reynolds  and  Captain  Otwa}' 
charged  them  ;  but  Ormonde  set  spurs  to  his  horse  and  escaped. 

Jones'  utmost  design  was  to  make  a  sortie,  to  beat  up  the  enemy's 
quarters,  and  to  drive  them  from  Baggotrath.  But  he  was  led  on  by 
his  success  step  by  step  ;  and  what  he  intended  to  be  merely  a  sortie 
resulted  in  the  total  rout  and  destruction  of  the  Royalist  army.^  The 
capital  was  relieved  from  further  apprehension.  By  some  the  defeat 
was  attributed  to  Ormonde's  incapacity,  by  others  to  his  neglect.  In 
the  "  Declaration  "  of  the  Prelates  at  Jamestown,  a  year  later,  it  was 
said  that  "the  conduct  of  the  army  was  improvident  and  unfortunate  ; 
that  nothing  happened  in  Christianity  more  shameful  than  the  disas- 
ter at  Rathmines,  where  his  Excellency,  as  it  seemed  to  ancient  trav- 
ellers and  men  of  experience  who  viewed  all,  kept  rather  a  mart  of 
wares,  a  tribunal  of  pleadings,  or  a  great  inn  of  play,  drinking  and 
pleasure,  than  a  well-ordered  camp  of  soldiers.  Some  even  ventured 
to  hint  that  treason  was  at  work.  To  silence  these  murmurs,  the 
King  sent  him  the  garter.^  In  truth  the  defeat  did  not  prove  that 
the  troops  were  deficient  in  courage  or  the  commander  in  ability  :  it 
only  showed  how  little  reliance  can  be  placed  upon  a  mob,  no  matter 
how  eager  to  fight,  when  opposed  to  a  well-disciplined  army.^  It  was 
the  close  of  Ormonde's  military  career  ;  for  his  po*wer  was  so  broken 
that  he  never  after  ventured  to  meet  the  Parliamentary  army  in  the 
f^eld. 

.Immediately  after  the  battle  he  set  off  for  Kilkenny.  The  next 
day  he  came  with  a  few  horse  to  Ballysonan,'*  a  strong  castle  in  the 
county  of  Kildare,  and  summoned  it  to  surrender.  The  governor, 
thinking  that  Dublin  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Royalists,  and  that  their 
army  was  approaching,  gave  up  that  important  place  without  hesita- 
tion. As  soon  as  he  reached  Kilkenny,  he  strove  to  bring  together 
the  shattered  remnant  of  his  army.  A  week  after,  he  went  to  Trim 
at  the  head  of  300  men,  all  that  he  could  rally.  He  summoned  trt^^ps 
from  every  quarter,  thinking  to  make  another  attempt  at  the  capital. 
Few  responded  to  his  call.  Hearing  that  Jones  was  besieging 
Drogheda,  he  set  off  to  relieve  it.  Lord  Moore  had  defended  it  ably  ; 
the  besiegers,  hearing  of  Ormonde's  approach,  raised  the  siege  and 
returned  to  Dublin. 

Soon  after  Ormonde  wrote  to  Jones,  asking  for  a  list  of  his  pris- 

J  Colonel  Jones  liath  found  out  a   fine  way  of  gaining  intelligence  by  sending  cunning 
beggars   into  Oriuontie's   camp,   who  Ijring   hinA  notice  of  what  he  can  oi)scive  iliere  also. 
.Some  soldiers  that  seem  to  run  thither,  are  of  purpose  employed  to  gain  intelligence.     Crom 
■welTs  Entbarcation  \i\  Aphor.  Disc,  p.   224,  appendi.x  xvi. ;   from    the  Carte  MSS.,  vol.  x.w. 
p.  35 

2  "  \Ye.  weigliing  the  eminence  of  your  brother  and  family,  and,  above  all,  the  great  and 
extraordinary  services  done  by  you  for  many  years  past  and  still  continued  in  the  condition 
ot  Lord  Lieutenant  in  that  our  kingdom,  togetiier  with  your  singular  courage  and  xidelity, 
&c,''  King's  warrant  to  make  Ormonde  a  Knight  of  the  Garter,  in  Carte's  CoUcctioii,  Sec, 
vol.  ii   p.  394 

^  According  to  Clarendon,  Jones'  army  consisted  of  6,oco  foot  and  1,900  horse,  a  greater 
force  than  Ormcnde  had  under  his  command.     I/ist.  VirLO,  &c.,  p.  91. 

*Five  miles  south-west  of  Kilcullen  Bridge. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  19 

oners.     Jones  replied  :  "  Since  I  routed  your  army,  I  cannot  have  the 
happiness  to  know  wliere  you  arc,  that  I  may  wait  on  you." 

On  receipt  of  the  news  the  Council  of  State  ordered,  "  That 
Colonel  Jones'  letter  relating  to  the  victory  of  August  6th,  of  the 
forces  of  the  city  of  Dublin  against  Ormonde's  army,  with  the  list  of 
prisoners  and  ammunition  taken,  and  Captain  Otway's  narrative  be 
printed  and  published  ;  and  that  it  be  sent  to  the  Lord  Mayor  of 
London,  and  to  all  the  ministers  within  his  jurisdiction,  who  are  to 
publish  the  same  to-morrow  in  their  congregations  ;  so  that  there  may 
be  an  acknowledgement  of  God's  goodness  to  the  Commonwealth  in 
so  seasonable  a  victory."  P'or  never  was  a  day  in  Ireland  like  this, 
to  the  confusion  of  the  Irish  and  raising  up  of  the  spirits  of  the  Eng- 
lish and  restoring  their  interest,  which,  from  their  first  footing  in 
Ireland,  was  never  in  so  low  a  condition  as  at  that  time,  there  not 
being  one  considerable  landing-place  left  for  them  but  Dublin  only, 
and  that  almost  losf.  The  Parliament,  for  their  high  and  extraordi- 
nary sense  of  so  signal  and  seasonable  a  mercy,  thought  it  fit  and 
their  duty  to  set  apart  a  time  for  public  and  solemn  thanksgiving,  to 
be  rendered  to  the  Lord,  the  author  of  that  mercy.  And  they  did 
therefore  enact  and  ordain  that  Wednesday,  the  29th  of  August,  be 
observed  and  kept  as  a  day  of  public  and  holy  rejoicing  and  thankful- 
ness to  the  Lord  in  all  churches  and  chapels  within  the  Common- 
wealth. 

Jones  received  the  thanks  of  Parliament.  A  former  vote,  set- 
tling on  him  lands  to  the  value  of  ;!^"5oo  for  his  success  at  Dungan's 
Hill,i  two  years  before,  was  revived.  Another  vote,  granting  him  and 
his  heirs  for  ever  lands  to  the  value  of  ;^  1,000  for  his  service,  was 
now  passed.  Six  of  the  best  horses  in  Tilbury  Race  were  ordered  to 
be  chosen  by  the  trustees  for  the  sale  of  the  late  King's  goods  for 
General  Jones,  as  a  gratuity  from  the  House.  It  was  ordered  that 
;^200  be  given  to  Captain  Otway  who  brought  the  news. 

Yet  in  spite  of  Jones'  success  at  Rathmines,  he  was  still  in  great 
straits.  His  funds  were  quite  exhausted  ;  to  pay  his  men  .he  was 
forced  to  levy  a  weekly  tax  off  the  city  of  Dublin.  The  harbor  had 
only  two  frigates  left  to  protect  it.  Throughout  the  rest  of  Ireland 
there  were  only  two  fortresses,  Derry  and  Culmorc,  in  the  hands  of 
the  Parliament. 

1  Near  Summcrhill,  in  the  county  of  Meath,  where  lie  defeated  the  Confederate  army 
under  the  command  of  Preston.  3,000  foot,  being  deserted  by  tlieir  own  cavalry,  retreated 
to  a  bog,  and  threw  down  their  arms.  They  were  surrounded  and  cruelly  put  to  death  to  a 
man.  See  77/t'  Exact  Relation  of  the  f^rcal  victory  obtaincii  against  the  rebels  at  Duiif^aus 
J/ill,  by  II.  M.'s  forces  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Michael  Jones,  August  Sth,  1647,  '» 
Rev.  C.  P.  Meehan's  Confederation  of  Kilkenny^  appendi.x,  p.  30i> ;  Dublin,  18S2. 


20  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER  III. 

PREPARATIONS    FOR    THE    WAR. 

Rebellion  of  1641 — The  King  and  the  Parliament— Character  of  the  Rebellion — The  Act  of 
Subscription — An  Irish  war  popular — Lord  Wharton  Commander-in-Cbief — Lord 
Forbes'  Expedition — The  Parliament  and  the  Army — Lord  Lisle  Lord  Lieutenant — 
Inchiquin  changes  sides — Reinforcements  for  Dublin — The  Cobbler  of  Aggavam. 

On  the  23d  of  October,  1641.  the  Irish  of  Ulster  rose  in  rebel- 
lion,^  and  seized  on  many  of  the  strong  places  in  the  North. ^  The 
flame  spread  rapidly.  Two  months  after,  all  the  walled  towns  and 
fortresses  were  in  the  hands  of  the  insurgents,  except  Derry  in  the 
north  ;  Cork,  Youghal,  Kinsale  and  Bandon,  in  the  south  ;  Dublin, 
Drogheda,  Dundalk,  and  the  castle  of  Carrickfergus,  in  the  east.^ 
The  King,  who  was  then  absent  in  Scotland,  wrote  to  the  parliament 
that  to  it  he  committed  the  care  of  Ireland,  and  ordered  provision 
to  be  made  for  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion.  By  this  course  he 
hoped  to  free  himself  from  the  su.spicion  of  being  too  faint  a  prosecu- 
tor of  an  enemy  whose  insurrections  it  was  said  he  had  himself 
fomented.  The  popular  party  in  the  parliament  pretended  to  under- 
stand this  passage  as  giving  them  the  control  of  the  war  to  the 
exclusion  of  the  King,  and  interpreted  it  in  the  most  unlimited  sense. 
Six  months  later,  April  8th,  1642,  he  sent  another  message  to  the 
parliament,  that  he  intended  to  put  himself  at  the  head  of  an  army 
and  go  into  Ireland  to  chastise  those  wicked  and  detestable  rebels, 
odious  to  God  and  all  good  men.     But  the  leaders  of  the  popular  party 

^  "We  imagine  we  are  in  no  rebellion  ourselves,  but  do  really  fight  for  our  Prince  in 
defense  of  his  royal  crown  and  prerogative,  wherein  we  shall  continue  and  die  to  the  last 
man."  Letter  of  Owen  Roe  O'Neill  to  Sir  Robert  Stewart,  June  iSth,  1643,  in  the  Carte 
MSS.,  vol.  V.  p.  272. 

^  See  in  Desid.  Curios.  Hiber.,  vol.  ii.  p.  78  ;  The  Heads  of  the  Causes  that  7noi>ed  the 
N^orthern  Irish  and  the  Catholics  of  Ireland  to  take  arms;  it  is  r-iprinted  in  Curry's  Civil 
Wars  of  Ireland,  vol.  ii.  p.  371,  and  in  Aphor.  Disc,  vol.  i.  p.  450,  appendix  li.  Tlie  nativa 
Irish  being  well  informed,  as  they  thought,  that  they  must  either  turn  Protestants,  or  depart 
the  kingdom,  or  be  hanged  at  their  own  doors,  took  up  arms  in  their  own  defence,  especially 
in  Ulster,  where  the  six  counties  had  been  forfeited.  Anderson's  Koyal  Genealogies,  in 
Curry,  vol.  i.  p.  190.  It  was  blazed  abroad  by  the  best  note  of  Protestants  that  all  Ireland, 
by  that  time  twelvemonth  must  either  go  tu  church,  be  executed,  or  endure  banishment  or 
exile.  Aphor.  Disc.,  vol.  i.  p.  12.  The  Catholics  were  urged  to  rebellion;  and  the  Lords 
justices  were  often  heard  to  say,  that  the  more  there  were  in  rebellion  the  more  lands  would 
be  forfeited.  Castlehaven's  Re^'iew  of  the  Civil  Wars  of  Ireland,  p.  28.  The  oath  of  associ- 
ation of  the  Catholic  Confederation  is  given  in  Borlase's  Rebellion,  p.  95.  The  motto  on  their 
seal  was:  pro  deo  rege  et  patria  iiiberni  vnanimes.     Curry's  Civil  Wars,  vol.  i.  p.  271. 

^  Though  the  Irish  were  at  first  a  popular  rout  of  unarmed  clowns,  the  English  durst 
scarce  peej)  out  of  the  gates  of  their  great  garrisons  of  Dublin  and  Drogheda.  Queries, 
&c.  ;  London,  1644,  quoted  in  Prcndergast's  Cromwellian  Settlement  of  Ireland,  j),  56; 
Dublin,  1870. 


CROMWELL    IN  IRELAND.  21 

hn.d  already  laid  their  plans  to  take  the  mana;:;cment  of  the  war  out  of 
his  hands  ;  they  feared  the  attemjot  made  by  Strafford,  some  years 
before,  to  rai^e  an  Irish  army  which  should  be  not  only  wholly  inde- 
pendent of  the  parliament  but  entirely  under  the  control  of  the  King, 
might  be  again  renewed  and  their  liberties  endangered.  They  declared 
they  would  consider  his  departure  from  England  equivalent  to  a  for- 
mal abdication  of  the  throne.^  Day  by  day  the  rebellion  grew  in 
strength  ;  its  character  soon  became  clianged.  It  was  no  longer  a 
sudden  outburst  of  wrath  ;  it  was  a  war  directed  by  leaders  skilled  in 
warfare  and  supported  by  a  nation  eager  to  avenge  centuries  of  wrong. 
The  King's  exchequer  was  empty,  drained  by  James  I.  to  satisfy  the 
hungry  cravings  of  his  Scotch  favorites.  The  parliament  forced  the 
King  to  assent  to  a  scheme,  which  was  afterwards  embodied  in  an 
Act,^  for  the  advancing  of  money  towards  the  raising  and  paying  a 
private  army  for  subduing  the  Irish 'rebels,  and  offering  as  security 
2,500,000  acres  of  forfeited  Irish  lands.  The  money  should  be  paid 
to  a  committee  composed  half  of  members  of  the  House  of  Commons, 
half  of  subscribers  to  the  fund.  The  subscribers,  or  Adventurers,^  as 
they  were  more  commonly  called,  on  payment  of  ready  money,  would 
have  estates  allotted  to  them  on  the  following  terms  :  ;!^6oo  for  i,ooo 
acres  in  Leinster  ;  £4^0,  ;?{^300,  and  p^200  for  the  same  quantity  re- 
spectively in  Munster,  Connaught  and  Ulster.  The  allotment  was 
to  take  place  as  soon  as  the  Loi'ds  and  Commons  in  parliament  as- 
sembled should  declare  the  rebels  subdued  and  the  war  appeased  and 
ended.  The  King  suggested  that  such  a  wholesale  confiscation  would 
make  the  Irish  desperate.  This  was  just  what  the  parliament  wanted. 
The  army  would  be  kept  employed  far  away,  where  it  could  not  be 
used  by  the  King  in  support  of  his  rights.  Besides,  the  appointment 
both  of  the  commander  and  the  officers  should  be  entirely  in  the 
hands  of  the  Adventurers  ;  the  King  had  merely  the  signing  of  their 
commissions. 

An  Irish  war  was  at  all  times  popular  in  England.  Sir  John 
Bulstrode  Whitelocke*  declared  that  if  these  measures  were  carried 
out,  they  would  put  an  end  to  the  long  and  bloody  conflict  foretold 

^  On  the  Sth  of  April,  1642,  the  Parliament  declared  that  the  King's  going  to  Ireland 
would  be  against  the  law,  and  that  whosoever  should  assist  him  on  his  journey  to  Ireland 
should  be  an  enemy  to  the  Commonwealth.     Borlase's  Rebellion,  p.  70. 

2  It  went  by  the  name  of  the  Adventurer's  Act,  or  the  Act  of  Subscriftion.  February 
26th,  1642,  "  The  House  of  Commons  passed  the  Bill  for  the  Adventures  for  Ireland  : 
That  every  one  that  won  d  bring  in  and  adventme  money  for  the  reducing  of  Ireland 
shojld  have  so  many  acres  of  the  Irish  Rebels'  lands,  proportionable  to  the  money  which 
they  brought  in,  and  very  pood  bargains ;  whereupon  very  great  sums  of  money  were 
brought  in  for  that  service."  Whitelocke,  p.  54.  See  A  DecLiration  of  both  Houses  0/ 
PiuliiUiient  concerning  tJie  Affairs  of  Ireland ;  whereunto  are  added  twelve  arguincnts  to 
promote  the  work  of  subsciption  ;  London,  1641,  reprinted  by  P.  'J'raynor ;  Dublin,  1S79; 
and  Account  of  the  Carte  MSS.,  p.  160.     It  received  the  Royal  assent  Marcli  19th,  1642. 

^  See  the  "List  of  the  names  and  subscriptions  of  the  Adventurers  for  lands  in  Ireland" 
in  the 'Crormvellian  Settlement,  p.  403.  The  number  of  the  original  Adventurers  was  1,360  ; 
the  sum  total  subscribed  by  them  was  ^^43,406  5.s'.  od.     Ibid,  p.  44S. 

*  Bulstrode  Whitelocke,  Esq  .  a  member  of  the  House,  is  given  in  the  "List  of  Adven- 
turers for  land  in  Ireland."  Croin.  Sett.  p.  405.  'I'he  sum  which  he  ventured  was  ;^400. 
A  namesake  of  his,  probably  a  descendant,  holds  lands  now  near  Corofin,  in  the  county  of 
Clare. 


22  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 

with  SO  much  truth  by  Giraldus  Cambrensis  ;i  another  asserted  that 
it  would  bring  in  such  sums  as  would  soon  bring  the  war  to  an  end  ; 
that  the  work  of  Elizabeth  and  James  I.  would  now  be  perfected  ;  that 
the  Irish  would  be  rooted  out  by  a  new  and  overwhelming  plantation 
of  English,  and  another  Engkind  would  speedily  be  founded  in  Ireland. 

In  this  way  a  private  army  of  5,000  foot  and  400  horse  was 
raised.-  Lord  Wharton  was  appointed  commander-in-chief  and  lord- 
general  for  Ireland.^  This  force  assembled  at  Bristol  in  August, 
1642,  ready  to  embark  for  Munster  ;  they  only  waited  for  the  signing  of 
the  officers'  commissions  by  the  King,  according  to  his  promise.  But 
the  Civil  War  having  burst  out  when  the  royal  standard  was  displayed 
at  Nottingham,  the  King  refused  to  sign  the  commissions,  fearing 
that  these  forces  might  be  employed  against  himself,  as  in  fact  hap- 
pened. For  being  directed  by  the  parliament  to  march  against  the 
Royalist  army,  they  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Edgehill,  on  the  23d  of 
October.  The  Aclventurers  finding  that  the  funds  that  they  had 
raised  to  conquer  lands  in  Ireland  were  misused  by  the  parliament, 
would  not  risk  any  further  subscriptions,  though  the  measure  of  land 
was  enlarged  to  the  Irish  standard,"^  and  afterwards  doubled  for  any 
one  who  would  pay  in  a  sum  equal  to  a  fourth  of  his  original  subscrip- 
tion. The  military  part  of  the  scheme  failed.  But  the  plan  of  pledge 
ing  the  land  in  Ireland  for  moneys  to  be  advanced  by  parliament, 
sometimes  to  relieve  the  gasping  condition  of  the  Protestants  there, 
but  oftener  to  carry  on  the  war  against  the  King  in  England,  was 
continually  extended.  The  sums  brought  in  did  not  answer  the  pur- 
pose. In  order  to  induce  merchants  and  traders,  foreign  Protestants 
as  well  as  English,  to  embark  in  this  speculation,  the  parliament 
offered  the  principal  sea-ports  in  Ireland  for  sale  ;  Limerick,  with 
12,000  acres  contiguous,  for  ^^30,000  and  a  rent  of  £62$,  payable  to 
the  state;  Waterford,  with  15,000,  at  the  same  rate  ;  Galvvay,  with 
10,000,  for  ;^7,500  and  a  rent  of  ^520.  But  the  offer,  however 
tempting,  found  no  bidders. 

For  the  next  few  years  the  Parliamentary  army  was  kept  busily 
employed  at   home.     All  the  energy  its  leaders  could  display,  all  the 

^  Speech  at  a  conference  between  the  Lords  and  Commons,  February  13th,  1642.  "  The 
Irish  liave  four  national  prophets  who,  speaking  of  the  conquest  of  Ireland,  all  agree  that 
it  will  be  stained  by  frequent  battles,  by  numerous  murders,  and  a  contest  continued  to  late 
ages  ;  but  in  the  end,  a  little  only  l)efore  the  Day  of  Judgment,  they  promised  complete  con- 
qiest  of  the  island  to  the  people  of  England,  and  to  have  it  garrisoned  from  sea  to  sea." 
Giraldus  Cambrensis,  Exptii^italio  JJiberiiiai,  B.  II.  c.  34,  edited  by  Dymock,  vol.  v.  p.  3S5; 
London,  1867. 

-  See  The  List  of  Field  Officers  chosen  and  api)ointed  for  the  Irish  expeilition  by  the 
Council,  Guildhall,  London,  for  the  regiments  of  5.000  foot  and  sot)  horse,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Philip,  Lord  What  ton.  Baron  of  Scarborough,  Lord-General  of  Ireland,  first  jnib- 
lished  in  1642,  and  reprinted  by  Ilotten  ;  London,  1863.  Among  the  names  on  the  roll  of 
the  officers  is  that  of  ensign  Oliver  Cromwell. 

^  Wharton,  lliough  a  firm  adherent  of  the  Parliament  during  the  Civil  War  and  a  per- 
sonal friend  of  Cromwell,  was  not  one  of  the  Adventurers  ;  but  Dame  Philadelphia,  his 
mother,  appears  in  the  list  as  a  subscriber  of  /^2oo.  Besides,  by  right  of  his  wife,  he  was 
entitled  to  the  joint  adventure  of  John  and  Robert  Goodwin,  members  of  the  Long  Parlia- 
ment, for  j^6oo,  as  she  was  their  heiress.  See  "The  Case  of  lord  Wharton,"  in  Account  of 
the  Carle  A/SS.,  p.  160. 

*  100  acres  Irish  measure  are  very  nearly  equivalent  to  162  English. 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  23 

resources  they  could  couiniand,  were  needed  to  make  front  against 
the  bravery  of  the  Cavaliers.  "Their  votes,"  says  Hume,  "  breathed 
nothing  but  death  and  destruction  to  the  Irish  rebels  ;  but  no  forces 
were  sent,  and  little  money  was  remitted."  A  few  buccaneering  ex- 
peditions from  time  to  time  visited  the  coast  of  Munster,  like  that 
which  was  headed  by  Lord  Forbes  in  1642.  He  set  sail  with  si.\ 
ships  and  1,200  men.  These,  too,  had  been  raised  under  an  ordinance 
of  the  House  of  Commons,  which  accepted  the  proposal  of  certain 
adventurers  to  equip  a  force  at  their  own  expense  ;  the  outlay  to  be 
repaid  by  the  confiscated  lands  of  the  Irish.  He  landed  at  Kinsalc 
and  laid  waste  the  surrounding  country.  The  people  took  up  arms 
and  obliged  him  to  raise  anchor.  He  next  landed  at  Galway,  got 
possession  of  the  abbey,  dug  up  the  graves,  and  burnt  the  coffins  and 
bones  of  the  dead,  and  required  the  citizens  to  sign  "  a  submission, 
expressing  their  belief  that  there  was  no  other  means  of  saving  them 
from  extirjiation  and  banishment."  He  next  sailed  up  the  Shannon, 
and  spoiled  the  mansions  on  the  riverside.  He  seized  on  Ikmratty,  a 
castle  belonging  to  the  Earl  of  Thomond,  and  left  in  it  a  garrison  to 
hold  it  for  the  Parliament.^ 

In  the  beginning  of  1647,  the  Presbyterian  leaders  were  anxious 
to  get  rid  of  the  army.  The  support  of  an  army  of  between  20,000 
and  30,000  men  was  a  heavy  burden.  They  strove  to  disguise  their 
real  motives  under  the  pretense  of  the  national  advantage,  "for  it  was 
observed  by  some  that  a  victorious  army  out  of  employment  is  very 
inclinable  to  assume  power  over  their  principals  ;  and  this  occasioned 
the  parliament's  greater  care  for  their  employment  in  Ireland."  Be- 
sides, such  a  large  force  had  ceased  to  be  any  longer  necessary,  now 
that  royalty  was  subdued.  It  was  agreed  that  12,000  men  should  be 
employed  in  Ireland  ;  those  only  should  be  sent  who  volunteered  for 
that  service  :  the  remainder  should  be  disbanded.  The  proposal  to 
go  encounter  the  Irish  rebels  was  not  very  acceptable  to  them.  They 
demanded  their  arrears  of  pay,  and  forty  weeks'  pay  for  the  liorse 
and  eighteen  for  the  foot  ;  indemnity  for  acts  done  in  war,  and  a  clear 
discharge  according  to  contract,  no  service  in  Ireland  except  under 
known  commanders.  A  letter  was  presented  to  the  House  on  behalf 
of  eight  regiments  of  the  army  of  horse,  wherein  they  expressed 
"some  reasons  why  they  could  not  engage  in  the  service  of  Ireland 
under  the  present  conduct,  till  they  were  satisfied  in  their  expecta- 
tions and  their  first  desires  granted."  Extra  pay  was  offered  to 
tliem.  About  two  hundred  of  Sir  Thomas  I'airfax's  officers  met  the 
Commissioners  from  the  Derby  House  Committee.^  The  encouraging 
\'otes  of  the  House  were  communicated  to  them,  as  two  months'  j^ay 
at  present  and  a  month's  on   shipboard,  and  other  particulars.     The 

1  Li/c  of  Ormonde,  vol.  i.  p.  346  ;  Hardiman's  History  of  Gahvay,  p.  I17  ;  Dublin,  1820; 
Ilngli  Peters  was  Lord  Forbes'  chaplain  during  his  expedition,  and  his  lordship  was  much 
puided  by  his  advice.  Life  of  Or?iio7ide,  vol.  i.  p.  347.  No  mention  is  made  of  this  expedi- 
tion ill  Admiral  Yoxhts^  Earls  of  Griiiiard ;  London,  1S6S. 

-  So  cnllcd  from  the  place  where  it  first  mel.  It  was  superseded  by  the  Council  of 
State,  consisting  of  38  memliers.  whicli  was  ajjpoiiited  February  14th,  1649.  This  too  held 
its  meetings  for  a  time  at  Derby  I  Inuse  ;  but  towards  the  end  of  May  it  removed  to  Whitehall. 
Doj/iesiic  Shite  Papers  (1649-50),  preface  xv. 


24  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 

officers  desired  to  know  what  answer  was  given  to  their  former  desires 
of  a  general.  It  was  answered  that  Major-General  Skippen  was  voted 
general.^  They  replied  that  he  had  written  to  the  House' desiring  to 
be  excused.  The  officers  with  much  civility,  yet  much  affection,  cried  : 
"A  Fairfax  or  a  Cromwell."  These  they  had  experience  of,  and  their 
conduct  had  been  so  blessed  of  heaven,  that  they  should  be  encour- 
aged much  for  Ireland,  if  that  were  declared.  It  was  answered  that 
they  came  to  speak  and  to  treat  with  those  who  would  go  under  whom- 
soever the  parliament  should  appoint  ;  others  were  at  liberty  to  stay 
at  home.  About  12,000  enrolled  themselves  on  this  condition,  but 
parliament  refused  its  consent. 

In  the  spring  of  this  year  Colonel  Castle's  regiment  was  sent  to  the 
aid  of  Ormonde.  He  was  followed  by  Colonel  Hungerford's  regiment 
and  Colonel  Long's.  The  Commissioners,  who  arrived  in  June,  to 
take  possession  of  Dublin  and  the  other  fortresses  betrayed  to  them 
by  Ormonde,'^  brought  with  them  1,400  foot  and  600  horse.  By  the 
end  of  that  year  both  King  and  Parliament  were  subdued.  Cromwell's 
first  step  was  to  make  the  army  completely  his  own.  The  following 
written  perhaps  at  his  suggestion,  will  show  what  his  plans  were  : 

It  is  a  great  pity  tlie  militia  of  this  country  sliould  be  disbanded.  We  hear  of 
some  overtures  made  by  the  army  for  engaging  them  and  all  the  supernumeraries 
of  the  kingdom.  The  service  will  be  gallant,  and  the  design  superlative  ;  and  if 
old  Noll,  or  any  man  of  gallantry  and  fidelity  do  accept  of  that  brigade,  he  cannot 
want  men  or  money. 

When  the  hopes  of  the  Royalists  were  extinguished  by  the  death 
of  the  King  and  the  banishment  of  the  Stuart  dynasty,  the  leaders  of 
the  Parliamentary  party  could  turn  their  whole  attention  to  the  affairs 
of  Ireland,  and  proceed  vigorously  against  those  whom  they  styled 
the  Irish  rebels.  When  it  was  known  that  Charles  II.  had  been  pro- 
claimed King  in  Ireland,  and  that  the  whole  population  had  rallied  in 
support  of  the  royal  cause  under  Ormonde's  standard,  it  was  resolved 
that  he  should  be  attacked  in  his  last  stronghold.  Religious  hatred 
was  employed  to  stir  up  those  who  were  callous  to  other  motives. 
The  following  extract  from  a  political  pamphlet  of  the  time  will  show 
the  sentiments  of  the  Puritans  towards  the  Irish  Catholics  : 

A  word  of  Ireland  :  not  of  the  nation  universally,  nor  of  any  man  in  it 
that  hath  so  much  as  one  hair  of  Christianity  or  humanity  growing  on  his  head  or 
beard,  but  only  of  the  truculent  cut-throats,  and  such  as  shall  take  up  arms  in  their 
defence. 

These  Irish,  anciently  called  Anthropophagi  (man-eaters),  have  a  tradition 
among  them,  that  when  the  devil  showed  our  Saviour  all  the  kingdoms  of  llie  earth 
and  their  glory  he  would  not  show  him  Ireland,  but  reserved  it  for  himself.  It  is 
most  probably  true,  for  he  hath  kept  it  ever  since  for  his  own  peculiar  aim  ;  the  old 

^  April  2cl,  1647,  the  House  voted  that  tlie  Commander  iii-Cliicf  of  tlie  Forces  in  Ire- 
land should  be  styled  hiekl-Marshal  and  allowetl  £G  per  diem,  and  appointed  Major-General 
Skippen  to  be  Field-Marsiial,  and  Colonel  Massey  l.ieutenantGeneral  of  the  Horse  under 
him.     Whitelocke,  p.  246. 

'lie  handed  over  to  tlie  Parliament  T~>ublin,  Droglieda,  Trim,  Naas,  and  tlie  other  gar- 
risons then  heUl  by  him  in  Ireland,  June  7lh  ;  on  liie  25tli  of  July  lie  delivered  up  the  rega- 
lia. Cox's  ////'.  Aii^l.,  vol.  i.  p.  93.  Jones  took  possession  of  the  castle  of  Dublin  for  the 
Parliament.     Curry,  vol.  i.  p.  385.     See  Appeudi.v  i. 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  25 

fox  foresaw  that  it  would  eclipse  the  glory  of  the  rest ;  he  thought  it  wisdom  to  keep 
it  for  a  i)oggards  for  himself  and  all  iiis  unclean  spirits  emi)loyod  in  this  hemisphere, 
and  the  people  to  do  his  son  and  heir — I  mean  the  I'ope  —  that  service  for  what 
Louis  XI.  kept  his  barber  Oliver,  which  makes  them  to  be  so  blood-thirsty.  They 
are  the  very  offal  of  men,  dregs  of  mankind,  reproach  of  Christendom,  the  bots  that 
crd'wl  on  the  beast's  tail.     I  wonder  Rome  itself  is  not  ashamed  of  them. 

1  beg  upon  my  hands  and  knees  that  the  expedition  against  them  maybe  under- 
taken whilst  the  hearts  and  hands  of  our  soldiery  are  hot.  To  whom  I  will  be  bold 
to  say  briefly:  Happy  is  he  who  shall  reward  them  as  they  have  served  us:  and 
cursed  is  he  that  shall  do  the  work  of  the  Lord  negligently.  Cursed  be  he  that 
holdeth  back  his  sword  from  blood  ;  yea,  cursed  be  he  that  maketh  not  his  sword 
stark  drunk  with  Irish  blood,  that  maketh  them  not  heaps  on  heaps,  and  their  coun- 
try a  dwelling  place  for  dragons,  an  astonishment  to  nations.  Let  not  that  eye  look 
for  pity,  nor  that  hand  be  spared  that  pities  or  spares  them.  And  let  him  be  ac- 
cursed that  curseth  them  not  bitterly. 

The  general  insurrection  that  took  place  the  following  year,  the 
revolt  of  the  navy,  and  the  rising  of  the  Scots  so  obstructed  the  coun- 
sels of  the  Parliament  that  little  u^as  done  towards  the  relief  of 
Ireland.  The  sending  over  of  Lord  Lisle  as  Lord  Lieutenant  helped 
to  alienate  Inchiquin,  one  of  the  most  active  and  unscrupulous  parti- 
sans of  the  Parliament.  In  a  fit  of  jealous  disappointment  he  made 
overtures  to  the  Royalist  party,  and  brought  over  to  them  all  the 
Munster  garrisons. 


20  C'JiOMWEI.L   IN  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

CROMWELL    GENERAL. 

The  Army  for  Ireland  —  The  Lord  Lieutenant — Waller  and  Lambert — Cromwell  ap- 
pointed— Officers'  Petition — 12,000  men  to  be  sent  to  Ireland  —  Committee  to  jjiovide 
Ships  —  Cromwell  Commandtr-in-Chief.  His  Humility  —  Committee  for  the  Affairs  of 
Ireland  —  Provision  for  the  forces —  Conference  with  the  Common  Council  of  London  — 
;[^"  1 20,000  atlvanced  for  the  Service  of  Ireland  —  Casting  of  Lots  —  The  Regiments  for 
Ireland — The  (Jeneral's  Order. 

Early  in  1649  news  reached  Ireland,  that  "great  preparations 
were  making  in  England  forthwith  to  send  a  great  fleet  and  army  for 
Ireland,  which,  it  was  said,  should  be  commanded  by  Cromwell." 
There  were  many  who  ambitioned  the  post  of  Eord  Lieutenant.^ 
Waller'-^  and  Lambert*^  were  the  chief  candidates  for  public  favor.  It 
was  a  question  whether  the  Presbyterians  or  the  Independents  should 
have  the  upperhand.  The  former  supported  the  claims  of  Waller  ; 
the  latter,  headed  by  Cromwell,  insisted  that  the  chief  command 
should  be  given  to  Lambert,  who  already  held  the  second  place  in 
the  army.  He  was  known  to  be  as  much  opposed  to  Presbyterianism 
as  to  royalty.  Put  Cromwell  was  jealous  of  Lambert  ;  he  thought 
the  government  of  Ireland  and  the  command  of  such  an  army  as 
would  be  needed  there,  too  great  a  trust  for  him.  Therefore  some  of 
Cromwell's  friends,  who  were  always  ready  at  hand  in  such  emergen- 
cies, on  a  sudden  proposed  that  Cromwell  should  command  the  expe- 
dition. Cromwell  was  absent  when  the  proposal  was  made.  The 
Presbyterian  party  thought  it  was  only  a  trick  to  defer  the  service, 
and  that  he  had  no  intention  of  going  to  Ireland,  or  if  he  did  go,  his 
absence  from    England  would   give  them  all   they  wished  for;  they 

'  "  The  government  of  Ireland  is  administered  sometimes  bv  a  single  person  in  the  nature 
of  a  viceroy;  sometimes  by  two  or  three  jjcrsons  called  Loid  Justices,  who  dciue  their 
authority  by  commission,  s(jmctimes  from  tlie  Viceroy,  sometimes  Imm  the  Crown.  The 
chief  governors  in  the  early  ag.s  have  been  called  by  divers  names,  as  C'ustos,  jLidiciary, 
Lord  Lieutenant,  and  Lord  Deputy."  Ware's  Antiquities  of  I)\Liiid,  vol.  ii.  p.  89.  From 
the  close  of  the  twelfth  century  the  governor  of  the  Anglo-Norman  colony  in  Ireland  was 
called  Chief  Justiciary,  a  title  applied  in  England  to  tUe  chief  officer  of  the  King's  court. 
The  title  of  Lord-Lieutenant  seems  to  have  been  reserved  for  court  favorites  or  persons  of 
acknowledged  eminence.  Cromwell's  predecessors  in  that  dignity  were  the  Larls  of  Leices- 
ter and  Strafford,  Lord  Motmtjny;  and  llic  Lail  of  Essex.  Ware  gives  the  tides  burne  by 
each  of  the  chief  governors.      Ihid. 

^  He  was  one  of  the  lead  rs  of  the  Presbvterian  partv  in  the  House  of  Commons,  and 
had  distinguished  himself  in  the  early  part  of  the  Civil  \Var.  He  retired  from  tlie  House 
in  June,  1647,  when  the  eleven  niembe  s  were  impeached  by  the  army. 

^  Lambert  had  distim',iiished  himself  bv  his  braverv,  es;.ecially  at  Na'-ehy  and  Fife. 
He  was.  of  all  the  officers  in  tbe  army,  sc.ond  t  >  Cromwell  in  C'lurage,  prudence  and  c:ii;.ac- 
ity.  Cromwell  regarded  him  with  a  jealous  eve  ;  and  unon  his  refusal  to  take  the  oaih  to 
be  faithful  to  the  Government,  dejjrived  him  of  his  commis^i'ln,  but  granted  him  a  pension 
of  ^2,000,  more  through  jjrudence  th  m  generosity  ;  f'>r  he  k^rw  that  such  a  man  as  Lam- 
bert, rendered  desperate  by  povertv,  would  be  capable  of  anything.  Grainger's  Biographral 
History,  vol.  iii.  p.  18  ;  London,  1769. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


27 


OLIVER   CROMWELL. 


28  CROMWELL  jy  IRELAND. 


should  be  able  to  regain  to  their  party  Fairfax,  who  had  already  begun 
to  show  a  dislike  to  his  new  friends.  And  so  both  parties  agreed,  and 
Cromwell  was  declared  Lord  Lieutenant,  with  as  ample  and  inde- 
pendent a  commission  as  could  be  prepared. 

Feb.  19th.  —  At  a  Council  of  the  army  holden  at  Whitehall,  there  were  voted 
10,000  men  to  go  over  into  Ireland,  amongst  which  the  Lieutenant-General  Crom- 
well's own  regiment  is  one;  by  which  it  is  probable  he  may  command  in  chief. 
Some  regiments  are  already  drawing  northward.' 

March  2d. — The  House  being  informed  that  there  were  several  officers  of 
the  army  at  the  door,  they  were  called  in,  and  Colonel  Whaley  told  Mr.  Speaker 
that  the  General  Council  of  the  officers  of  the  army  had  sent  these  gentlemen  to 
present  the  House  with  this  petition.  .  .  .  That  it  is  their  desire  that  the  House 
would  take  it  into  their  serious,  effectual,  and  speedy  consideration.  .  .  .  That  the 
sad  and  distressed  condition  of  Ireland  may  be  immediately  considered  ;  and,  ere 
it  is  too  late,  such  seasonable  supplies  sent  thither  as  may  require  the  Englisli  power 
and  interest;  for  which  work  we  humbly  offer  and  earnestly  desire  that  sucli  forces 
as  are  already  raised  and  can  be  spared,  which  we  conceive  will  be,  with  some  little 
addition,  a  considerable  strength,  may  be  forthwith  appointed  for  that  service,  with 
some  equal  provision  for  maintenance  as  the  forces  here  shall  have  provided,  and 
under  such  conduct  and  conditions  as  may  encourage  faithful  men  for  that  employ- 
ment; by  which  means  you  will  probably  in  a  great  measure  secure  this  nation,  in 
fact  ease  the  people  of  their  pressure,  and,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  recover  that 
kingdom  out  of  the  hands  of  the  rebels.  Upon  the  reading  of  the  petition,  the 
Commons  voted.  That  the  matters  contained  in  the  said  Petition  ...  be  taken 
into  immediate  consideration  ;  that  Mr.  Speaker  do  return  thanks  to  the  Petitioners. 
.  .  .  The  House  ordered  that  it  should  be  referred  to  a  Council  of  State  to  consider 
of  that  business  concerning  Ireland.* 

March  3d.  —  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell,  Sir  Henry  Mildmay,  Sir  Henry 
Vane,  Sir  Arthur  Hesilrigge,  Colonel  Jones,  Colonel  Martin,  Colonel  Walton,  Mr. 
Scott,  and  Mr.  Robinson  to  be  a  committee  to  consider  the  order  of  March  2d, 
concerning  the  forces  in  England  and-  Wales,  and  which  are  fit  for  service  in 
Ireland. 

March  5th,  —  That  12,000  horse  and  foot  must  be  sent  to  Ireland  ...  to 
suggest  to  (he  House  that  the  ;^2o,ooo  a  month  tax  be  continued  for  the  Irish  army. 

March  9th.  —  Order  in  parliament,  referring  it  to  the  Council  of  .State  to  con- 
fer with  the  Army  Committee  how  the  forces  that  are  to  go  to  Ireland  maybe 
modelled  for  the  best  advantage. 

March  9th.  —  The  Council  of  State  to  the  Lord-General:  Parliament  has 
this  day  ordered  12,000  men  to  be  sent  to'  Ireland  ;  equal  provision  to  be  made  for 
them  as  for  these  here;  and  have  referred  the  care  of  this  business  to  us.  We 
desire  you  to  call  together  your  Council  of  War,  and  to  consider  what  regiments 
shall  go  thither  of  horse,  foot,  and  dragoons,^  and  under  what  commander. 
.  March  12th.  —  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell,  Sir  Henry  Mildmay,  Mr.  Hol- 

land, Colonel  Walton,  to  be  a  committee  to  consult  the  Navy  Commissioners,  as  to 
which  ships  out  of  the  eight  ordered  may  be  soonest  made  ready;  how  sufficient 
shipping  may  be  sent  to  Chester  and  Liverpool.  They  are  to  certify  how  many  ships, 
and  of  what  burden  will  suffice,  and  at  what  rates,  and  how  they  may  be  had. 

March  13th.  —  A  committee  of  the  Council  was  apjjointed  to  report  to  the 
House  that  the  Lord-General  and  his  Council  of  War  have  been  consulted  with 
about  the  modelling  of  the  forces  for  Ireland,  in  pursuance  of  the  order  of  the  9th 

'    T/te  Kingdom'' s  Faithful  and  Impaitial  Scout,  Feb.  i6ll\  lo  23d;  in  Crotmvelliana,  p. 52. 

2  Per  fee'.  Diurnal,  Fel).  27th  to  March  3d.  The  duties  of  the  Council  of  State  were  : 
Tst,  to  command  and  settle  the  Militia  of  Lngland  and  Ireland  ;  2d,  to  set  forth  such  a^ 
Navy  as  they  should  think  fit ;  3d,  to  appoint  magazines  and  stores  and  to  dispone  of  them  ;' 
4th,  to  sit  and  execute  the  powers  given  them  for  a  year,     Whitelocke,  p.  376. 

^  "  Dragoon,  a  kind  of  soldier  that  serves  indifferently  cither  on  foot  or  on  horseback." 
Johnson.  According  to  Merrick,  they  were  so  called  not  after  the  draconarii  of  the  Romans, 
but  because  they  carried  a  short  blunderbuss  having  a  dragon's  head  at  its  muzzle.  Jnqui>y 
into  Ancient  Armour  ;  in  glossary  ad  verb. ;  London,  1S42. 


CROMWELL  ly  IRELAND.  29 

of  Marcli  ;  and  tliat  lie  tliinks  notliing  can  lie  done  until  tlie  Commander-in-chief  is 
nominatet'.  The  Council  wishes  to  know  the  pleasure  of  the  House  concerning  his 
nomination,  which  being  determined,  the  rest  will  proceed  with  more  expedition. 

March  14th. — 'Report  was  made  to  the  House  from  the  Council  of  State  as  to 
the  proceedings  in  order  to  the  sending  of  forces  for  Ireland.  And  upon  debate, 
the  House  referred  it  to  the  Council  of  State  to  nominate  a  (General  and  other  chief 
officers  for  Ireland,  and  to  report  with  speed  to  the  House,  that  the  work  may  be 
hastened,  of  which  there  is  great  need. 

March  15th.  —  The  Council  of  State  upon  the  business  of  Ireland  :  Licutenant- 
General  Cromwell  is  by  them  in  nomination  to  be  General  for  Ireland  ;  and  in  order 
to  this  also,  at  a  General  Council  of  the  Army  at  Whitehall  it  was  resolved  upon, 
that  the  business  of  Ireland  cannot  be  well  taken  into  consideration  before  the 
Commander-in-chief  be  nominated  and  other  arrangements  propounded,  which  are 
under  debate  by  the  Council  of  State  to  be  reported  to  the  House. 

March  23d.  —  This  day  the  committee  of  officers  appointed  by  the  Genera! 
Council  of  the  Army  sat  at  Whitehall.  They  named  some  officers  to  propose  some 
particulars  for  the  encouragement  of  those  who  shall  engage  for  Ireland  by  present 
pav,  provisions,  stating  of  accounts,  (S:c.,  and  resolved,  That  so  many  regiments  as 
shall  be  designed  of  the  army  for  that  service  shall  be  drawn  by  lot. 

The  Council  of  the  Army  met  again,  and  named  two  officers  of  every  regiment 
of  horse  and  foot  of  the  army  and  divers  garrisons  of  the  kingdom,  to  meet  the  ne.xt 
morning  to  seek  God,  to  gather  what  advice  to  offer  to  the  CJeneral  concerning  the 
expedition  for  Ireland,  and  to  make  a  report  to  the  Council  on  Monday  next  by 
three  of  the  clock  in  the  afternoon.  The  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell  is  to  give 
in  his  answer  to  the  Council  of  State  on  Tuesday  next  (March  27th)  whether  he 
will  go  for  Ireland  or  not. 

On  Easterday  (March  25th),  the  army  had  a  day  of  humiliation  and  fast  for 
their  future  undertakings,  especially  concerning  Ireland.  Peters  '  performed  his 
old  office  of  blowing  the  trumpet,  and  told  them  that  he  hoped  none  of  them  would 
refuse  to  go  into  Ireland.  Yet  ihcy  could  not  but  go  witii  more  cheerfulness  when 
they  Igiew  that  they  had  a  particular  call  from  God,  which  he  promised  them  within 
three  days, 

March  26th.  —  The  General  Council  of  the  Army  sat  at  Whitehall,  and  had 
before  them  the  debate  of  several  particulars  for  the  better  encouragement  of  those 
as  shall  engage  for  the  service  of  Ireland;  the  particulars  agreed  on  are  many,  and 
which  are  to  be  rendered  to  the  parliament  for  confirmation. 

The  following  test  to  be  taken  by  Colonel  Tuthill  and  all  the  officers  going  to 
Ireland  :  "To  be  faithful  to  the  Commonwealth,  without  King  or  House  01  Peers, 
to  obey  the  orders  of  parliament,  or  his  superiors  appointed  thereby,  to  do  nothing 
to  prejudice  the  Commonwealth,  and  to  discover  any  conspiracies  against  it."  A 
week  later,  an  order  was  issued  to  Colonels  Tuthill  and  Reynolds  to  offer  this  test 
to  every  jirivate  soldier  of  their  respective  regiments,  those  not  taking  the  test  to 
be  discharged. 

March  27th.  —  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell  having  intimated  his  willingness 
to  serve  the  parliament  in  the  war  of  Ireland,  care  being  had  for  necessaries  for  the 
army,  as  money,  &c.  ;  they  considered  of  that  peculiar  war  in  several  tilings,  and 
did  vote,  among  other  things,  some  money  for  the  faithful  and  valiant  Governor  of 
Dublin. 

March  28. —  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell  this  day  was,  by  the  House  of 
Commons,  voted  General  for  Ireland,  and  declared  to  the  House  his  acceptance  to 
go  for  that  service;  and  for  the  better  supply  of  that  service,  several  things  were 
debated  to  this  purpose: — i'^.  That  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell  shall  go  Com- 
mander-in-chief of   the   forces   for    Ireland.     2°.  That  such  regiments  as  shall  be 

'  Peters  in  early  life  was  expelled  from  Cambridge  for  irregular  behavior.  He  after- 
wards took  to  the  stage,  and  there  acquired  the  habit  ot"  buffoonery  which  he  practiced  later 
in  the  pulpit.  Being  obliged  to  fly  Irom  England,  he  went  to  Rotterdam,  and  became  pastor 
of  the  English  church  there.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to  justify  rebellion.  The  Sunday  after 
the  trial  of  Charles  I.  began,  he  preached  at  Whitehall  and  "  s])ake  old  Simeon's  words, 
that  he  had  seen  his  salvation,  that  is,  Kings  in  fetters  and  IMnces  in  chains."  Carte's 
Collection,  &c.,  vol.  i.  p.  212.  He  was  executed  in  1660  with  other  regicides.  See  T/ie  Trial 
ofthiKfgicides,  p.  149:  London,  1724;  Ludlow's  Memoirs,  pp.  30S  and  3C7. 


30  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


allotted  for  the  Irish  service  may  have  all  their  arrears  audited,  stated,  and  deben- 
tures given  for  their  respective  services.  3°.  Visible  security  to  be  given,  so  that 
any  friend  or  other,  being  entrusted  with  a  debenture,  may  receive  it  at  a  time  pre- 
scribed by  the  parliament.  4°.  Those  that  go  for  Ireland  to  be  first  satisfied  for 
their  arrears  since  1645.  5°.  That  out  of  the  ^120,000  per  mensem  for  England 
and  Ireland,  three  months'  pay  shall  be  given  for  those  that  go.  6*^.  The  private 
soldiers  and  non-commissioned  officers  to  receive  two  months'  pay  of  arrears, 
and  commissioned  officers  under  captains  one  montli's  pay.  7'^.  That  magazines 
for  provisions  be  settled  at  Bristol,  Chester,  Liverpool,  Beaumaris,  and  Alilford. 
And  that  in  order  to  the  latter  and  for  the  better  victualling  of  tlie  ships,  as 
occasion  requires,  that  the  chief  officers  of  the  respective  towns  and  garrisons  of 
Bristol,  Chester,  Liverpool,  Beaumaris,  the  Isle  of  Anglesea,  and  Milford  in  Soiitli 
Wales,  shall  ol)serve  such  orders  and  commantls  as  they  shall  receive  from  the  sai  I 
chief  commander.  8'^.  A  sufficient  squadron  of  ships  to  be  on  the  Irish  coasts,  to 
be  at  the  .command  of  the  Commander-in-chief  of  the  land  forces  in  Ireland.  9'^. 
The  ships  to  be  victualled  at  Dublin,  Liverpool,  and  Beaumaris;  and  a  Court  of 
Admiralty  to  be  erected  at  Dublin,  to  prevent  their  coming  into  England  to  dispose 
of  prizes  and  so  neglect  the  service.  10°.  The  pay  of  the  officers  and  soldiers  to 
be  according  to  the  Irish  establishment,  only  the  officers  to  receive  for  the  present 
the  same  pay  as  here.  1 1°.  An  hospital  for  sick  and  maimed  soldiers  to  be  erected 
at  Dublin.  12°.  The  parliament's  forces  already  in  Ireland,  and  tliose  now  to  go 
over,  to  be  one  army  and  one  establishment.  13°.  5,000  quarters  of  bread-corn, 
200  tons  of  salt,  and  200  tons  of  cheese,  to  be  transported  with  those  wlio  now  go 
over.  14°.  A  competent  train  of  artillery,  with  arms  for  both  horse  and  foot,  ammu- 
nition and  other  things  necessary,  to  be  provided  for  that  service.  15'^.  That 
effectual  care  be  taken  to  send  over  recruits  of  men  and  horse,  with  furniture  com- 
plete, as  occasion  requires.  16°.  That  there  be  recruits  of  horse,  foot,  arms,  saddles, 
&c.,  ready  to  supply  the  service  of  Ireland,  to  be  sent  over  as  need  shall  require. 
The  whole  was  referred  to  the  Council  of  State  for  some  small  amendments.  The 
House  ordered  money  to  be  advanced  to  Colonel  Jones,  Governor  of  Dublin. 

The  next  day  Cromwell  appeared  in  the  House  full  of  confusion 
and  irresolution.  After  much  hesitation  and  many  expressions  of  his 
own  unworthiness  and  disability  to  support  so  great  a  charge,  and  of 
the  entire  resignation  of  himself  to  their  commands,  and  absolute  de- 
pendence upon  God's  providence  and  blessing,  from  which  he  had 
received  many  instances  of  His  favor,  he  submitted  to  their  good  will 
and  pleasure,  and  desired  them  that  no  more  time  might  be  lost  in 
the  preparations  which  were  to  be  made  for  so  great  a  work.  "  For 
he  did  confess  that  kingdom  to  be  reduced  to  so  great  straits  that  he 
was  willing  to  engage  his  own  person  in  the  expedition,  purely  for 
the  difficulties  which  appeared  in  it,  and  more  out  of  hope,  with  the 
hazard  of  his  life,  to  give  some  obstruction  to  the  success  which  the 
rebels  were  at  present  exalted  with,  and  so  preserve  to  the  Common- 
wealth some  footing  in  that  kingdom  till  they  might  be  able  to  send 
fresh  supplies,  than  out  of  any  expectation  that  with  his  strength  he 
should  be  able  in  any  signal  degree,  to  prevail  over  them.^ 

'  Clarendon's  History  of  the  Nebellion,  vol.  iii.  p.  322;  Echard's ///.fi'o;^  of  EitglattJ 
vol.  ii.  p.  672  ;  London,  1718.  Cronuvell  was  unwilling  to  accept  tlie  office,  as  it  lessened 
the  authority  of  his  General.  He  acquaints  him  with  it  and  assures  him  that  he  will  never 
accept  of  it,  though  threatened  with  the  greatest  punishment  if  he  do  not  comply,  or  tendered 
the  highest  reward  if  he  do.  My  this  little  instance  Fairfax  perceived  how  much  more  de- 
serving Cromwell  was  than  himself,  whom  he  before  knew  to  be  no  way  liis  inferior  ;  and 
at  the  same  time  he  vied  in  kindness,  and  showed  that  he  deserved  well  of  his  country  by 
refusing  the  charge,  and  assigned  it  wholly  to  Cromwell.  Peck's  Mcvioirs  oj  O.  Crovnvell, 
p.  44  ;  London,  1740.  Cromwell  was  made  General-in-chief  of  all  the  forces  June  26th, 
1650,  Fairfax  having  resigned,  being  unwilling  to  march  with  the  army  into  Scotland.  _  Lnd- 
low's  Memoirs^  p,  122.     His  friend  Godwin  used  to  say  that  it  was  one  of  the  peculiarities' 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  ?l 

IVIarcli  3otli. —  ITiion  rcjioit  from  tlic  Council  of  State,  that  Lieutenant-Gcneral 
Cromwell  accepted  of  the  service  of  Ireland,  and  vvoidd  endeavor  to  the  utmost  of 
his  power,  with  (Jod's  assistance,  to  carry  on  that  work  against  the  rebels  and  all 
tliat  adhere  to  them,  the  House  did  approve  of  Lieutenant-General  .Cromwell  to  be 
Commander-in-chief  of  all  the  forces  sent  to  Ireland  •  and  to  take  off  any  reflection 
on  the  Cicneral  (Fairfax),  or  dislike  to  him,  it  was  also  voted,  That  the  I^ord  Fair- 
lax  be  general  of  all  the  forces  of  tlie  parliament  both  in  England  and  Ireland." 

March  31st.  —  By  order  of  the  Council  of  State,  Sir  William  Armayne,  Sir 
[Tenry  A'ane,  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell,  Sir  John  Danvers,  Mr.  Scott,  and  Col- 
Miiel  Jones  to  be  a  committee  for  the  civil  and  military  affairs  of  Ireland,  with  power 
to  advise  with  Sir  Robert  King,  Colonel   Mill,  Sir  Ilardress  Waller,  and  others. 

April  iith.  —  This  day  the  Council  of  State  made  report  to  the  House  of 
r.ieir  jirocccdings,  and  further  propositions  agreed  on  as  to  the  forces  that  shall  go 
to  Ireland. 

Resolved  by  the  Commons  assembled  in  parliament :  1°.  That  effectual  pro- 
vision be  made  for  maimed  soldiers  during  their  lives,  and  for  the  widows  and 
orphans  of  such  as  shall  be  slain  in  the  service;  and  tiiat  for  the  present  one  or 
more  hospitals  be  appointed  and  prepared  at  Dublin,  or  elsewhere,  for  the  recovery 
of  sick  and  lame  soldiers.  2°.  That  such  backs,  breasts,  and  pots  '  as  shall  be 
wanting,  shall  be  provided  for  every  trooj)er  who  shall  be  employed  in  the  service, 
and  these  to  be  transjiorted  to  sucii  places  as  the  Commander-in-chief  shall  direct. 
3°.  That  it  be  referred  to  the  Council  of  .State  to  treat  with  the  officers  of  the  forces 
that  are  to  go  into  Ireland,  upon  what  terms  the  arms,  horse,  and  furniture  to 
be  provided  may  be  continued  and  maintained.  4".  That  it  be  referred  to  the 
Council  of  .State  to  confer  with  the  said  officers  of  the  said  army  touching  the  send- 
ing over  recruits  of  horse  and  men,  &c.,  for  the  forces  on  the  service  of  Ireland  as 
occasion  may  require. 

It  was  also  informed  that  the  army  are  upon  so  good  a  way  of  forwardness  for 
the  advance  of  the  service  of  Ireland,  as  that  this  day  the  officers  of  the  army  were 
appointed  to  meet  about  the  casting  of  lots  which  regiments  shall  engage  in  that 
service. 

April  1 2th.  —  A  report  was  this  day  made  from  the  Council  of  State  of  the 
necessity  to  advance  a  speedy  and  considerable  sum  for  the  service  of  Ireland.  The 
House  upon  debate  voted.  That  the  sum  of  ^120,000  should  be  borrowed  of  the 
City  of  London  for  the  service  ;  and  for  the  si)eedy  affecting  thereof,  they  elected  a 
committee,  consisting  of  Sir  Flenry  Vane,  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell,  &c.,  to  go 
to  the  Common  Council  of  the  City,  to  treat  with  them  for  borrowing  the  sum  of 
^"120,000  upon  security  of  the  two  last  months'  assessments  of  the  _^9,ooo  per  men- 
sum,  and  meet  with  the  said  Common  Council  this  afternoon  ;  and  that  ten  members 
more  should  be  added  to  the  said  Committee. 

Those  who  were  appointed  to  go  to  the  Common  Council  about  tlie  furnishing 
^120,000  came  to  Guildhall.  The  first  that  spoke  was  Mr.  Lisle  ;  after  him  Mr. 
Whitelocke,  who  ver)-  notably  urged  the  accommodating  the  parliament  with  the 
sum  a]jpointed  for  the  service  of  Ireland.  After  whom  the  Lord  Chief  liaron  Wilde 
did  press  the  same  with  many  arguments  ;  and,  among  others,  he  rightly  distin- 
guished the  state  of  the  war  in  that  kingdom,  as  being  not  between  Protestant  and 
J'rolcstant,  or  Independent  and  Presbyterian,  but  Pajfist  and  Protestant,  and  that 
was  the  interest  there  ;  Papacy  or  Popery  being  not  to  be  endured  in  that  kingdom, 
which  notaltly  agreed  with  the  maxim  of  King  James,  when  first  King  of  the  three 
Kingdoms  :  "  Plant  Ireland  with  Puritans,  and  root  out  Papists,  and  then  secure  it." 
The  last  that  spake  was  the  Lieutenant-General,  who  first  excused  himself  as  de- 
signed for  that  service,  and' so  might  be  thought  to  seek  himself;  after  he  cleared 
up  divers  things  by  wav  of  satisfaction,  and  particularly  these  :  1°.  Whereas  it  was 
reported  money  would  be  endeavored,  and  then  nothing  done  for  Ireland.  2°.  That 
it  was  said  the  army  would  not  go.     Both  which  he  asserted  were  false,  and  that  the 

of  Cromwell's  frame,  whether  the  causes  were  bodily  or  mental,  that   he  always  had  tears  at 
cummand.     History  of  tlie  Conimonuiealth,  vol.  ii.  p.  360;  London,  1824.  • 

1  'I'lie  cuirass,  originally  of  leather;  as  the  name  imports,  but  later  of  iron,  covered  the 
body  hiith  before  and  behind  ;  it  consisted  of  two  parts,  a  breast  and  a  back-piece  of  iron, 
fastened  together  by  means  of  straps  ;  the  pot  was  an  iron  hat  with  a  broad  briin.  Grose"s 
Military  Antiquities,  vol.  ii.  p.  244  and  249;  London,  iSoi. 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


expedition  would  be  for  Ireland,  and  that  the  officers  were  unanimous  for  the  ser- 
vice, antl,  he  iloubted  not,  the  soldiers  ;  only  it  was  necessary  they  he  accommodated. 
As  for  any  divisions  or  distractions  in  the  army,  there  was  none,  though  it  had  been 
attempted.  For  the  service  he  professed  a  readiness  to  do  it  to  his  utmost.  The 
Common  Council  considered  of  the  security,  viz.,  the  two  last  months'  assessment 
and  fee-farm  rent,  but  looked  not  upon  it  as  sufficient,  and  therefore  ordered  a  com- 
mittee of  si.x  aldermen  and  six  commoners,  to  consider  how  security  might  be 
satisfactory,  which  is  like  to  involve  the  Dean  and  Chapters'  lands.  It  is  thought 
this  will  be  the  security  accepted  of,  if  it  can.  be  procured.  The  Common  Council 
did,  by  their  recorder,  Mr.  Glyn,  return  thanks  to  the  Lord-General  for  his  great 
service  done  for  the  kingdom,  and  particularly  for  London  ;  they  thanked  the  parlia- 
ment for  him,  and  for  making  him  Generalissimo  of  England  and  Ireland,  also  for 
the  good  choice  they  had  made  of  appointing  the  Lieutenant-General  chief  for  re- 
ducing Ireland. 

April  13th.  —  The  Committee  appointed  yesterday  to  go  into  the  city  and  treat 
Avith  the  Common  Council  concerning  the  advance  of  ^120,000  for  the  service  of 
Ireland  made  report  this  day:  That  the  Common  Council  declared  that  it  would  be 
ready  and  willing  to  contribute  their  utmost  endeavors  for  the  advance  of  this  sum 
for  the  relief  of  that  distressed  nation  of  Ireland.  The  thanks  of  the  House  were 
given  them  for  their  willingness  to  promote  the  business.  And  for  the  better  carry- 
ing out  of  the  business  of  Ireland  by  the  advance  of  this  _;^i 20,000  of  the  city,  the 
House  ordered  that  there  should  be  addition  made  to  the  Committee  for  sale  of  fee- 
farm  rents,  and  the  Committee  was  ordered  to  make  a  speedy  report  of  the  business. 

April  2oth.  —  This  day,  according  to  appointment,  the  General  Council  of  the 
Army  met  at  Whitehall,  about  casting  of  lots  what  regiments  should  go  for  the 
service  of  Ireland;  where,  after  a  solemn  seeking  of  God  by  prayer,  they  cast  lots 
what  regiments  of  the  old  army  should  be  designed  for  that  service  :  14  regiments 
of  horse  and  14  of  foot  of  the  established  forces  came  to  the  lot;  and  it  being  re- 
solved that  four  regiments  of  horse  and  four  of  foot  should  go  upon  that  service, 
ten  blanks  and  four  papers  with  Ireland  written  upon  them  were  put  in  a  hat,  and 
being  shuffled  together,  were  drawn  out  by  a  child  ;  who  gave  to  an  officer  of  each 
regiment  in  the  lot  the  lot  of  that  regiment ;  so  that  it  was  done  in  so  impartial  and 
inoffensive  a  way,  as  no  regiment  can  take  any  just  exception.  The  regiments  to 
whose  lot  it  fell  to  go  were,  of  horse,  Commissary-General  Iretou's,  Colonel  Scroop's, 
Colonel  Ilorton's,  and  Major-General  Lambert's;  of  foot.  Colonel  Ewer's,  Colonel 
Cook's,  Colonel  Hewson's,  and  Colonel  Dean's  ;  of  dragoons,  Major  Abbott's,  Cap- 
tain Mercer's,  Captain  Fidcher's,  Captain  Garland's,  and  Captain  Bolton's  troops. 
The  officers  of  each  regiment  whicii  were  allotted  expressed  much  cheerfulness  at 
the  decision.  There  are  three  more  regiments  already  in  forming,  besides  those  of 
the  army,  viz.,  a  regiment  of  foot  of  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell,  Colonel  Ytn- 
ables'  regiment,  and  the  Kentish  regiment  under  Colonel  Phayre. 

April  23d.  —  The  parliament  enacted  that  Thursday,  the  third  of  May,  be  set 
apart  and  appointed  for  a  public  and  solemn  day  of  fasting  and  humiliation,  earnestly 
to  seek  unto  Almighty  God  that  He  will  be  graciously  pleased  to  give  a  blessing  to 
the  forces  of  the  parliament  now  in  Ireland  and  such  as  are  to  be  shortly  sent 
thither  and  at  last  to  establish  his  pure  worship  in  this  nation. 

April  24lh.  —  Colonel  Tuthill's  regiment  is  shipped,  in  all  1127,  besides  a  com- 
pany that  is  coming  up  of  loo  men.  Two  days  later,  letters  from  Chester  informed 
the  House,  that  the  vessels  on  which  this  regiment  had  embarked  were  driven  by 
a  strong  north-west  wind  ujion  the  coast  of  Wales,  near  Beaumaris  ;  where,  if. they  ■ 
have  not  a  supply  of  victuals,  they  will  come  to  land  ;  the  consecjuences  whereof 
will  be  the  spoil  of  1,250  good  soldiers,  the  ruin  of  the  country,  and  the  non- 
relieving  of  Ireland,  and  particularly  of  Dublin,  which  place  is,  we  fear,  begirt  by 
Ormonde. 

April  30.  —  This  day  Colonel  Hewson's  regiment  marched  to  Rumford,  in 
order  to  the  advance  for  Ireland. 

An  order  was  issued  by  the  Lord-General  to  the  officers  of  every  regiment  of 
the  army,  that  none  entertain  any  of  the  forces  designed  for  Ireland  :  Wlicreas 
divers  officers  of  regiments  designed  for  Ireland  go  off  from  the  same,  with  an  ex- 
pectation to  be  entertained  in  other  regiments  that  stay  in  this  nation  ;  these  are 
therefore  required  upon  sight  hereof  to  forbear  to  list  or  entertain  any  soldiers 
whatsoever,  either  horse  or  foot,  in  their  regiments  for  the  space  of  six  months 
from  the  date  hereof,  without  special  order  from  himself. 


CROMWELL   ly  IRELAND.  o5 


CHAPTER  V. 

TIIELEVELLERS. 

.Vutiny  among  the  Troops — Cromwell's  Ambition  —  "The  Hunting  of  the  Foxes  " — His 
Nepousni  —  Spread  of  the  Sedition — Defeat  of  the  Insurgents  —  Tlianks  given  to  the 
Generals — I-'eadiness  of  the  Army  to  go  for  Ireland  —  Transports — The  General 
Officers  —  Cromwell's  Delay — Mis  Commission,  Life-guard  and  Allowance. 

The  expedition  was  delayed  for  a  time  by  a  mutinous  spirit,  which 
showed  itself  in  several  of  the  regiments  destined  for  service  in  Ire- 
land. Many  of  the  common  soldiers  had  become  infected  with  the 
doctrines  of  the  Levellers,  a  sect  which  was  intent  on  establishing  a 
theocracy,  which  they  called  "The  Dominion  of  God  and  his  Saints." 
They  first  appeared  near  Cobham,  in  Surrey,  busy  in  digging  the 
ground  and  sowing  it  with  roots  and  beans.  One  Everard,  once  of 
the  army,  who  tenned  himself  a  prophet,  was  their  chief.  They  were 
thirty  men,  and  said  they  should  shortly  be  four  thousand.  They 
invited  all  to  come  and  help  them,  and  promised  them  meat,  drink, 
and  clothes.  Everard  and  Winstanley,  the  chief  of  those  that  had 
assembled  at  St.  George's  Hill  in  Surrey,  came  to  the  General  and 
made  a  declaration  to  justify  their  proceedings.  Everard  said,  "  He 
was  of  the  race  of  the  Jews  ;  all  the  liberties  of  the  people  were  lost 
by  the  coming  in  of  William  the  Conqueror  ;  and  ever  since,  the  people 
of  God  had  lived  under  tyranny  and  oppression  worse  than  that  of 
our  forefathers  under  the  Egyptians.  There  lately  had  appeared  to 
him  a  vision,  which  bade  him  'Arise,  and  dig  and  plough  the  earth, 
and  receive  the  fruits  thereof ; '  their  intent  was  to  restore  the  crea- 
tion to  its  former  condition,  to  restore  the  ancient  community  of 
enjoying  the  fruits  of  the  earth."  While  they  were  before  the  General 
they  stood  with  their  hats  on  ;  and  being  demanded  the  reason  thereof, 
they  said,  "  Because  he  was  their  fellow  creature."  Being  asked  the 
meaning  of  the  phrase  :  "  Give  honor  to  whom  honor  is  due,"  they 
said,   "  Your  mouths  shall  be  stopped  that  ask  such  questions." 

The  mutiny  first  broke  out  on  the  night  of  April  26th,  among  a 
troup  of  Colonel  Whaley's  regiment,  at  the  Bull  in  Bishopsgate.  This 
regiment  was  not  allotted  for  Ireland  ;  but  the  men  refused  to  quit 
London,  as  they  were  ordered.  Fairfax  and  Cromwell  hastened  to 
the  place  and  forced  them  to  march.  Fifteen  were  seized  and  tried 
liy  court-martial.  Five  of  this  number  were  condemned  to  be  shot  ; 
four  of  these  were  pardoned  by  the  General.  The  next  day  the  fifth 
was  shot  in  St.  Paul's  Churchyard,  His  name  was  Lockyer,  one  who 
had  for  seven  years  served  in  thp  army  with  equal  courage  and  con- 
stancy to  any  trooper,  being  at  his  death  about  twenty-three  years  of 
age  ;  he  was,  it  is  said,  a  pious  man,  and  of  excellent  parts  and  much 
beloved.     His  death,  far  from  quelling  the  sedition,  seemed  rather  to 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


spread  it  ;  among  all  classes  it  produced  a  profound  impression  of 
grief  and  anger.  At  the  funeral,  two  days  after,  "  about  one  hundred 
persons  went  before  the  corpse,  five  or  six  in  a  file  ;  the  corpse  was 
bosught,  with  six  trumpets  sounding  a  soldier's  knell  ;  then  the 
trooper's  horse  came,  clothed  all  over  in  mourning,  and  led  by  a  foot- 
man. The  corpse  was  adorned  with  bundles  of  rosemary,  one  half- 
stained  in  blood.  Some  thousands  followed  in  rank  and  file,  with 
black  and  green  ribbons  on  their  heads  and  breasts.  At  the  new 
churchyard  in  Westminster,  some  thousands  more  of  the  better  sort 
met  them,  who  thought  not  fit  to  march  through  the  city. 

Cromwell's  ambitious  purposes  would  seem  to  have  been  suspected 
by  many  for  a  long  time.  The  French  Ambassador  wrote  from  Lon- 
don to  Cardinal  Mazarin,  in  June,  1649  :  "  Cromwell,  according  to  the 
belief  of  many,  carries  his  ideas  beyond  even  the  suggestions  of  the 
most  undisciplined  ambition."  In  a  pamphlet  entitled,  "The  Hunt- 
ing of  the  Foxes  ;  or,  The  Grandee  Deceivers  Unmasked,"  the  authors, 
"  five  private  soldiers,"  after  censuring  the  Council  of  State  as  "  adorn- 
ing itself  with  all  the  regal  magnificence  and  majesty  of  courtly 
attendance,"  proceed  in  the  following  strain  : 

"Was  there  ever  a  generation  of  men  so  apostate,  so  false,  and  so  perjured  as 
these  ?  Did  ever  men  pretend  a  higher  degree  of  hoHness,  religion,  and  zeal  to 
God  and  their  country  than  these.''  They  preach,  they  fast,  they  pray,  they  have 
nothing  more  frequent  than  the  sentences  of  Sacred  Scripture,  the  name  of  (iod  and 
of  Christ  in  their  mouths;  you  shall  scarce  speak  to  Cromwell  about  anything  but 
he  will  lay  his  hand  on  his  breast,  elevate  his  eyes,  and  call  God  to  record;  he  will 
weep,  howl,  and  repent,  even  while  he  doth  smite  you  under  the  first  rib.  O  Crom- 
well!  whither  art  thou  aspiring.''  He  that  runs  may  read  and  foresee  the  intent,  a 
new  regality."     See  128th  page. 

The  pamphlet  was  declared  by  the  House  to  contain  much  false, 
scandalous  and  reproachful  matter,  highly  seditious,  and  destructive 
to  the  present  government,  its  authors  and  distributors  guilty  of  high 
treason,  to  be  proceeded  against  as  traitors ;  and  the  Council  of  State 
was  enjoined  to  carry  these  resolutions  into  effect.  At  a  council  of 
officers,  held  at  Whitehall  at  the  end  of  February,  it  was  resolved  to 
take  severe  measures  against  all  intrigues.  Fairfax  issued  a  general 
order  to  the  army,  forbidding  all  meetings  and  deliberations  as  con- 
trary to  discipline  ;  but  admitting  the  right  of  the  soldiers  to  petition, 
provided  they  first  informed  their  officers  of  their  intention  to  do  so. 
Five  soldiers  who  presented  a  petition  to  complain  of  the  obstacles 
thrown  in  their  way,  were  severely  punished.  Colonel  Lilburne  pe- 
titioned against  the  Council  of  State  and  the  High  Court  of  Justice. 
Obtaining  no  redress,  he  printed  the  petition,  with  the  title,  "  Eng- 
land's new  chains  discovered."  He  was  committed  to  the  Tower,  on 
suspicion  of  high  treason,  for  being  the  author,  contriver,  framer,  or 
publisher  of  a  seditious  book. 

Cromwell  was  openly  charged  with  nepotism  too. 


Truly,  if  you  knew  what  a  large  family  the  Lieutenant-General  liath  in  the 
army,  you  could  not  much  blame  him  for  Ix'ing  so  craving  daily  for  money,  whereof 
honest  John  Lilburne  hath  given  a  perfect  muster —  1°.  Himself,  Lieutenant-Gen 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  3J 


er.il  and  Colonel  of  horse.  2°.  One  of  his  sons,  Captain  of  the  General's  Life-guard. 
3^.  His  other  son,  Cajjtain  of  a  troop  in  Colonel  Harrison's  refjinient.  4°.  His 
hrothcr-in-law,  Deshorough,  Colonel  of  the  (general's  regiment  of  horse.  5°.  His 
son-in-law,  Ireton,  Commissary-dencral  of  the  horse  and  Colonel  of  horse.  6''.  His 
brother,  Ireton,  Ouartermaster-C.eneral  of  the  horse  and  Ca])tain  of  horse.  7°.  His 
cousin,  Whaley,  Colonel  of  horse.  8'^.  And  his  brother,  Whaley,  lately  made  Judge 
Advocate.     And  all  these  are  the  Lieutentant-General's  creatures  at  command. 

• 

The  flame  of  sedition  spread  rapidly  through  the  ranks  of  the 
army.  A  week  later,  news  reached  London  that  insurrections  had 
broken  out  in  Oxfordshire  and  Gloucestershire;  that  several  troops 
of  Scroop's,  Reynolds',  and  Ireton's  regiments  had  revolted  from  com- 
mand and  driven  away  their  officers,  and  the  most  of  the  men  of 
Harrison's,  Ingoldsby's,  and  Horton's  regiments  were  already  in  cor- 
respondence with  the  mutineers  and  disposed  to  join  them.  A  party 
of  two  hundred  men,  under  the  command  of  one  Captain  Thompson, 
left  their  quarters  at  Banbury;  they  demanded  justice  on  the  murder- 
ers of  Lockyear,  and  threatened  that  if  a  hair  of  Lilburne's  were  hurt 
they  would  avenge  it  seventy-and-seven  fold  upon  the  tyrants  !  Rey- 
nolds was  sent  in  pursuit  of  them.  Some  returned  to  the  ranks, 
others  were  taken  prisoners.  Thompson  escaped  with  a  few  of  his 
companions.  Meantime,  at  Salisbury,  where  the  headquarters  were,  a 
body  of  about  a  thousand  strong,  headed  by  Cornet  Thompson,  rose 
in  mutiny.  The  parliament  left  the  generals  to  act  as  they  thought 
best.  Fairfax  and  Cromwell  reviewed  the  two  regiments  which  tiiey 
commanded  in  person.  Both  professed  the  utmost  zeal  in  the  cause 
of  the  parliament.  Colonel  Whaley  and  his  officers  issued  a  "  Decla- 
ration," that  divers  had  wickedly  gone  about  to  divide  the  army,  to 
persuade  those  soldiers  to  whose  lot  it  was  fallen  to  go  for  Ireland  to 
refuse  that  service.  They  disclaimed  those  traitorous  plots  and  ac- 
tions, and  utterly  abhorred  them,  and  resolved  to  continue  their  due 
allegiance  to  the  parliament,  the  general,  the  lieutenant-general,  and 
others  in  authority,  and  engaged  to  stand  or  fall  with  them. 

A  few  days  after,  the  generals,  Fairfax  and  Cromwell,  came  up 
with  the  insurgents  at  Burford,  in  Oxfordshire.  Cromwell  entered 
the  place  suddenly,  in  the  night,  with  2,000  men.  Reynolds  posted 
himself  with  a  strong  party  outside  the  town.  The  mutineers  defended 
themselves  for  a  short  time  ;  but  soon  losing  all  hope,  about  four 
hundred  of  them  surrendered  ;  the  rest  succeeded  in  making  their 
escape.  Fairfax  summoned  a  court-martial,  which  decided  that  they 
should  be  decimated.  Three  were  shot,  the  others  were  pardoned, 
after  having  been  reproached  for  having  so  wickedly  imperilled  the 
cause  of  God  and  of  their  country.  "They  wept,  they  retired  to 
Devizes  for  a  time,  were  then  restored  to  their  regiments,  and  marched 
cheerfully  for  Ireland." 

A  new  sedition  broke  out  at  Oxford  in  Colonel  Ingoldsby's  regi- 
ment. The  soldiers  seized  their  officers  and  cast  them  into  prison. 
The  Colonel  himself,  who  had  been  sent  down  to  repress  the  mutiny, 
was  not  spared.  They  fortified  themselves  in  the  buildings  of  New 
College,  and  from  that  stronghold  renewed  the  demands  of  the  Lev- 
ellers.    The  revolt  died  away  of  itself  ten  days  after  it  brc  \e  out. 


3;)  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


May  26th.  —  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell  being  come  post  to  town  last  night, 
made  a  narrative  this  day  to  the  House  of  tlie  arni)'s  proceedings  against  these 
termed  Levellers,  and  how  they  are  suppressed,  the  discontents  in  the  Isle  of  Wight, 
Portsmouth,  and  other  castles  thereabout  allayed,  and  all  in  quiet.  The  House 
hereupon  ordered  that  the  thanks  of  the  House  sliould  be  given  to  Lieutenant- 
( General  Cromwell  for  his  great  care  and  courage  in  this  business  against  the  Level- 
L^rs.  Mr.  Speaker,  according  to.the  said  resolution,  stood  up  and  gave  the  hearty 
tiianks  of  the  House  accordingly. 

And  that  so  great  a  deliverance  may  not  easily  be  forgotten,  the  House  ordered 
that  there  should  be  a  day  of  thanksgiving  set  a;:art  for  this  great  mercy,  not  only 
for  the  city  and  suburbs,  but  likewise  for  the  whole  Commonwealth  ;  and  therefore 
ordered  that  Thursday  come  fortnight  should  be  set  apart  for  this  duty  in  the -city 
and  suburbs,  and  late  lines  of  communication  ;  and  Thursday  come  three  weeks  for 
all  the  nation.  Mr.  Thomas  Goodwin  and  others  were  appointed  to  preach  that  day 
before  the  parliament. 

Lieutenant-(jeneral  Cromwell  has  caused  his  tent  to  be  put  up,  and  it  is 
agoing;  and  he  and  his  officers  and  forces  are  preparing  for  a  sudden  advance  for 
Ireland,  they  being  much  satisfied  in  the  Act  passed  for  their  accounts.  Colonel 
Stubberds  has  mustered  his  regiment  of  foot  designed  for  Ireland,  on  Hounslow 
Heath,  and  read  the  Act  for  Accounts  at  the  head  of  them  ;  they  were  full  and  all 
unanimous.  Colonel  Phayre's  regiment,  Colonel  VenaLles',  and  Colonel  Huncks' 
regiment  of  foot  also  are  ready  to  march.  Colonel  Reynolds  hath  almost  completed 
his  regiment  of  horse,  and  Major  Shelburnc's  regiment  is  nigh  ready.  Those  reg- 
iments taken  out  of  the  standing  army,  will  be  new  moulded  before  they  be  sent, 
but  all  will  be  ready  for  march  about  three  weeks  hence,  for  Ireland. 

May  29th.—  Report  was  made  to  the  House  by  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell, 
of  the  readiness  of  the  forces  to  go  for  Ireland,  and,  if  money  were  in  readiness,  to 
be  shipped  away  presently;  some  already  are  far  on  their  march.  The  House 
hereupon  made  some  further  progress  for  the  encouragement  of  such  as  shall  ad- 
vance money  upon  Dean  and  Chapters'  lands  ;  and  also  passed  further  orders  for 
the  advance  of  money  and  provisions  for  the  service  of  Ireland. 

May  31st.  —  The  humble  representation  and  resolutions  of  the  officers  and 
soldiers  in  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell's  regiment ;  — 

"  The  manifold  experiences  we  have  of  your  Excellency's  happy  conduct  ever 
since  the  goodness  of  (3od  has  sent  you  over  to  us,  and  the  many  signal  victories 
He  hath  been  pleased  to  make  you  instrument  in,  to  the  twice  total  subduing  of  a 
powerful  enemy,  together  with  our  sensibleness  of  God's  love  to  this  present  parlia- 
mei\t  in  carrying  them  through  so  great  and  glorious  undertakings  for  the  good  of 
the  commonwealth,  the  benefit  of  which  we  hope  all  honest  men  will  be  sensible 
of.  In  consideration  of  these  things,  we  are  at  a  loss  within  ourselves  that  any 
generation  of  men  amongst  us  (especially  of  such  large  professions),  who  have 
lasted  of  the  same  mercy  we  have  done,  should  now,  through  the  pride  and  ambition 
of  their  hearts,  so  manifestly  disown  Cjod,  by  such  an  unchristian  and  unheard  of 
rejection  through  pride  and  ambition,  in  casting  off  the  authority  of  this  present 
])arliament  and  your  Excellency,  as  divers  of  late  have  endeavorecl.  Therefore  we, 
the  officers  and  soldiers  of  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell's  regiment,  do  in  all  humil- 
ity represent  to  your  Excellency  that  we  have  been  and  are  sadly  atllicted  in  our 
sjMrits  with  the  thoughts  of  that  horrid  and  unnatural  defection  so  lately  made  from 
the  parliament's  and  your  Excellency's  authority;  and  each  of  us  in  particular  pro- 
fess that  we  do  from  our  hearts  disavow  tlie  having  any  hand  directly  or  indirectly 
in  advising  or  countenancing  the  revolt  or  cajntulation  of  any  of  the  twelve  troops 
of  your  army,  or  any  others  lately  or  now  opposing  the  parliament's  or  your  P^xcel- 
lency's  authority.  And  that  we  neither  did  nor  do  own  or  countenance  any  of  those 
late  papers  which  have  scandalized  the  parliament,  Council  of  State,  or  your  Excel- 
lency's authority  derived  from  them.  And  we  desire  to  bless  God,  who  hath  enabled 
your  Excellency  so  seasonably  to  reduce  those  who  otherwise,  by  their  destructive 
principles,  might  have  brought  great  confusion  upon  the  nation.  And  for  the  man- 
ifestation of  our  faithfulness  and  obedience  we  furtiier  ])rofess  that  we  shall,  by  the 
grace  of  (jod,  hazard  our  lives  and  all  that  is  dear  unto  us  for  the  preservation  of 
this  parliament,  the  supreme  authority  of  the  nation,  the  just  authority  of  the  peo- 
iMe,  according  to  their  late  acts  ar^d  declarations  ;  and  while  we  are  soldiers,  we 
shall  cheerfully  submit  unto  your  Excellency's  authority  over  us,  under  them,  and  to 


CROMWELL   I.y  IRKLAXD.  37 

tlic  discii)linc  of  tlie  army  now  ])ractiscd  amongst  lis,  against  any  i)crson  or  i)crficr.s, 
that,  under  any  notion  or  jMetencc  whatsoever,  shall  go  about,  to  be  obedient  to 
your  Excellency  in  putting  into  execution  your  commands,  according  to  the  power 
and  authority  given  you  by  parliament ;  withal  resolving  to  use  our  utmost  endeav- 
ors to  discover  all  such  persons  as  shall,  by  way  of  agitators  or  otherwise,  endeavor 
disturbance  amongst  us,  to  break  the  present  government  and  peace  of  the  army. 
And  because  it  hath  been  rumored  that  this  regiment  had  an  intention  to  have 
seized  upon  the  person  of  the  Lieutenant-General,  in  order  to  the  carrying  on  that 
rei)ellious  design,  we  ])rofcss  for  our  i^arts  we  never  had  tiic  least  knowledge  of  any 
such  thing;  and  if  any  person  or  persons  lately  amongst  us,  at  any  meetings  in 
London  or  elsewhpre,  ha\e  jiiomiscd  or  engageif  in  the  name  of  the  regiment  any- 
tliing  tending  thereunto,  it  halii  ])i()ceeded  from  the  treachery  of  their  own  hearts, 
with  wliom  we  leave  it ;  no  doubt  but  (]od  will,  in  due  time,  find  out  such  deeds  cf 
darkness  ;  and  as  we  hope  our  desire  of  avoidance  of  such  from  amongst  us,  whose 
principles  might  lead  them  to  such  an  action,  will  in  some  measure  vindicate  us,  so 
we  further  add  that  it  could  not  but  have  been  a  detestable  crime  for  any  part  of  the 
army  to  have  attempted  (much  more  to  have  done)  such  an  act,  so  in  us,  by  how 
much  the  nearer  we  stand  related  to  him  as  being  our  Colonel,  and  of  whose  fidelity 
we  have  had  such  am])le  testimony,  it  would  have  been  most  wicked  and  abominable. 

Lieutenant-General  Cromwell  is  to  have  a  regiment  of  horse  for  Ireland,  con- 
sisting of  fourteen  troops,  and  a  lieutenant-colonel  and  two  majors  to  be  designed 
for  the  regiment.' 

June  5th. —  The  Council  of  State  gave  orders  for  Flemish  ships  to  transport 
the  horse  into  Ireland,  and  for  the  regiments  to  march  to  Chester  and  the  other 
ports,  and  not  to  stay  al)Ove  one  night  in  a  ])lace.  Letters  from  Sir  George 
Ascough,  that  he  had  furnished  Dublin  with  provisions,  and  sent  others  to  Sir 
Charles  Coote,  and  had  blocked  up  Prince  Rupert's  ships  at  Kinsale. 

June  7th. —  The  general  officers  for  Ireland,  besides  Lieutenant-General  Crom- 
well, are  said  to  be  Major-General  Lambert,  Major-General  of  tiie  whole ;  Colonel 
Junes,  Lieutenant-General  of  the  horse  ;  Colonel  llorton,  Commissary-General  of 
the  horse;  and  Colonel  Monk,  Major-(]eneral  of  the  foot. 

June  13th. —  Mr.  Whalley,  agent  at  Chester,  was  ordered  by  the  Council  of 
State  to  make  stay  of  all  shi])s  that  are  now  or  shall  come  into  a  port  of  Cheshire, 
Lancashire,  or  Wales,  capable  of  transporting  horse,  that  they  may  be  ready  and  no 
time  lost. 

June  15. —  Upon  a  report  from  the  Council  of  State,  the  House  ajiproved  ot 
Commissionary-Gencral  Ireton  to  go  into  Ireland  next  Commander-in-Chief  unto 
Lieutenant-General  Cromwell. 

Cromwell  still  delayed  his  departure  under  various  pretexts. 
The  parliament  began  to  feel  anxious,  for  it  was  chiefly  to  get  rid. 
of  Cromwell  and  to  find  employment  for  the  army  that  the  war 
had  been  undertaken  with  such  vigor  and  at  so  much  cost.  The 
French  Ambassador  in  London  wrote  to  Mazarin  :  "They  still  say 
that  Cromwell  will  start  at  the  end  of  tliis  month,  at  the  latest.  The 
opinion  which  I  have  to  the  contrary  is  so  conformable  to  that  of 
many  intelligent  persons,  that  I  cannot  retract  it  ;  and  until  I  am  con- 
vinced by  the  news  of  his  journey  into  that  country,  I  shall  persevere 
in  the  opinion.  It  can  hardly  be  possible  that  Cromwell,  wlio,  accord- 
ing to  the  belief  of  man3',  carries  his  ideas  even  beyond  the  suggestion 
of  the  most  undisciplined  ambition,  can  resolve  to  abandon  tliis  king- 


*  Wliitelocke,  p.  391.  This  was  the  day  on  which  Cromwell's  army  was  supi)osed  to 
have  begun  its  march  from  London  for  the  reduction  of  Irelaiul,  and  from  it  the  soldiers' 
service  was  afterward  reckoned  in  the  distribution  of  tlie  forfeited  lands  of  the  Irish.  'Ihev 
were  the  first  tiiat  were  jiaid.  CrotrnucL'iatt  Setllcment,  p.  187.  The  troops  that  had  served 
against  the  Irish  before  Cronnvell  came  over  were  called  the  old  Protestants.  See  Life  of 
Ormonde,  vol.  ii.  11.  134. 


;8  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


dom  to  the  mercy  of  the  plots  which  may  be  formed  in  his  absence, 
and  which  his  presence  can  prevent  from  being  so  much  as  under- 
taken."! 

June  19th. —  An  order  from  the  Lord  General  to  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell 
and  the  other  officers  designed  for  Ireland  was  issued,  bidding  all  to  take  care  that 
from  henceforth  they  entertain  none  who  had  left  other  regiments  designed  for  the 
service  of  Ireland,  without  taking  a  particular  account  of  them,  what  troops  they 
came  from,  and  what  they  received  upon  their  discliarge  as  arrears ;  and  upon 
mustering  of  any  such,  to  set  their  names  distinct  in  the  muster  rolls,  with  such 
particular  account  as  aforesaid  concerning  each  man. 

June  20th.  —  Ordered  that  the  Commission  should  be  brought  into  the  House 
tor  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell  to  go  commander  over  the  forces  for  Ireland  on 
the  morrow. 

June  22d. —  A  report  this  day  made  to  the  House  from  the  Council  of  State, 
that,  according  to  the  order  of  the  House,  they  had  prepared  and  drawn  up  the 
Commission  to  be  given  to  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell  as  to  his  service  of  Ire- 
land. The  Commission  was  read  in  Latin  and  after  in  English;  the  House,  approv- 
ing thereof,  ordered  that  tlie  Lord  Commissioners  of  the  Great  Seal  of  England 
should  be  required  and  authorized  to  pass  the  said  Commission  under  the  Great 
Seal  unto  the  said  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell.  The  House  spent  some  time  in 
debate  how  long  this  Commission  should  continue,  and  at  last  resolved  it  should  be 
in  full  force  for  three  years.  They  then  considered  of  settling  the  civil  power  of  the 
nation  of  Ireland,  whether  by  commissions  or  otherwise.  The  House,  after  a  short 
debate,  voted  that  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell  be  Chief  Governor  of  Ireland,  and 
likewise  that  the  civil  and  military  power  of  that  nation  be  settled  in  him  during  the 
time  of  his  Commission.  Instructions  were  ordered  to  be  piepared  for  the  Com- 
mander-in-Chief by  the  Council  of  State,  and  reported  to  the  House  with  all  speed. 

June  25th. —  The  extraordinary  charges  of  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell  as 
Chief  Governor  ana  Commander-in-Chief  of  Ireland  as  to  this  preparatory  expedi- 
tion into  that  nation,  referred  to  the  consideration  of  a  committee  to  consider  thereof 
and  report. 

July  2d. —  The  Commons  ordered  the  Lord- Lieutenant's  life-guard  of  50  to  be 
made  up  to  70,  and  they  paid  according  to  the  former  establishment  by  the  Commit- 
tee of  tlie  Army,  and  Mr.  Owen  to  go  his  chaplain,  and  ^100  per  annum  to  be  al- 
lowed to  his  wife  and  children  in  his  absence,  to  be  paid  quarterly,  until  the  House 
shall  take  further  order;  which  was  referred  to  a  committee  to  consider  how  it  may 
be  settled.  The  House  then  seriously  debated  concerning  the  speedy  conduct  of 
the  army  for  Ireland,  under  the  command  of  the  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  for 
relief  of  our  friends  there  in  necessity;  and  hereupon  ordered  Wednesday  next, 
July  loth,  should  beset  apart  for  solemn  fasting  and  humiliation  for  the  city  and 
suburbs,  and  all  parts  within  the  late  lines  of  communication,  to  wait  upon  God  for 
his  blessing  and  good  success  upon  the  said  army  against  the  Irish  rebels  ;  the 
same  to  be  observed  and  kept  in  all  churches  and  chapels  on  a  more  distant  day 
throughout  all  England. 

Letters  that  Colonel  Jones  put  all  the  Roman  Catholics  out  of  Dublin  ;  that 
Sir  George  Ascough  secured  the  harbor  for  the  army  to  land  from  England. 

July  5th.  — The  Lord  Lieutenant,  taking  his  leave  this  day,  feasted  many  rlu'ef 
friends,  and  intends  to  set  out  from  London  by  Monday  or  Tuesday  next.  The  tr  lin 
of  artillery  was  shipped  for  Ireland. 

July  6th.  —  The  House  ordered  that  Wednesday  next  should  be  set  apart  for  a 
day  of  humiliation  for  the  city  and  suburbs,  and  all  parts  within  the  late  lines  of 
communication,  to  wait  upon  God  for  his  blessing  and  good  success  of  the  army 
against  the  Irish  rebels.  The  House  then  considered  what  ministers  should  be 
appointed  to  preach  on  next  Wednesday. 

July  7th  —  The  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  intending  to  advance  on  Tuesday 
morning  next  from  London  towards  the  relief  of  our  distressed  brethren  of  Ireland, 

'  The  rebels  seem  to  prepare  to  send  forces  into  Ireland,  and  Cromwell  gives  forth  he 
will  go  wiih  them,  which  few  believe.  Letter  of  Sir  E.  Nicholas  to  Ormonde,  June  9th, 
IJ49  ;  in  Carle's  Collection,  &.C.,  vol.  i.  p.  294. 


CROMWELL  ly  IRELAND.  39 

clesited  tlie  House  to  j;ive  liiin  leave  to  offer  some  petitions  to  tlieir  consideration, 
on  l)elialf  of  several  of  their  friends,  to  whoni  he  enii;agcd  himself  to  use  his  utmost 
endeavors  to  promote  their  re(|uests  to  the  House  liefore  his  departure.  The  H.ouse 
gave  him  favor  lierein  accordingl}-,  and  his  Lordship  presented  several  petitions, 
which  were  read  and  debated. 

Jul}'  I2th.  — In  pursuance  of  an  order  of  the  House,  the  Lord  Lieutenant  of 
Ireland  is  to  be  allowed  from  the  date  of  his  patent  ^lo  a  day,  as  General  of  the 
forces  in  Ireland,  during  his  continuation  in  England  ;  from  the  time  of  his  arrival 
in  Ireland,  he  is  to  receive,  as  (".eneral  of  the  forces  thereof,  _;^2,ooo  per  quarter,  which 
is  not  to  be  understood  as  any  of  the  salary  which  by  his  jiatent  he  is  entitled  to 
receive  as  Lord  Lieutenant ;  ;^3,ooo  to  be  immediately  advanced  to  him  for  his 
transportation  and  furnishing  himself  with  provision.^ 

On  the  clay  of  his  departure  hi.s  friends  assembled  at  Whitehall. 
Three  ministers  invoked  the  blessing  of  God  on  the  cause  of  the 
saints  ;  and  two  ofBcers,  Goff  and  Harrison,  and  the  Lord  Lieutenant 
himself,  expounded  the  Scriptures  excellently  well  and  pertinent  to 
the  purpose. 2 

^  In  March,  164S,  a  sum  of  _^i,68o  a  year  was  settled  on  Cromwell,  and  ;^5,ooo  on 
Fairfax,  out  of  the  Marquis  of  Worcester's  estate.  .Of  this  sum  Cromwell  forgave  the  State 
;^i,ooo  per  annum  for  si.K  years  towards  the  expenses  of  the  war  in  Ireland,  if  it  should 
continue  so  long,  to  be  employed  as  the  parliament  should  be  pleased  to  appoint.  The 
House  accepted  the  free  offer  of  Lieutenant-General  Cromwell,  testifying  his  zeal  and  good 
affection.     Mod.  IntelL,  March  23d,  164S  ;  in  Cromwellinna^  p.  3S. 

2  Heath,  in  his  Flagelhim,  says  Ircton  was  absolutely  the  best  prayermaker  and  j^reacher 
in  the  army,  though  Oliver  came  little  behind  him. 


4U  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


CHArTER  VI. 

CROMWELL    SETS    OUT    FOR    IRELAND. 

Departure  from  London  —  Journey  to  Bristol  —  The  Rendezvous — Mutiny  —  Idolaters  to 
be  extirpated — News  of  Jones'  Victory  —  The  Fleet  sets  sail — The  Regiments  and 
their  Commanders  —  Reception  in  Dublin  —  Proclamations  —  The  .  Buff  Coat  in  the 
Dublin  pulpits. 

Cromwell's  departure  was  thus  announced  in  The  Aloderate  Li- 
telligoicer  of  July  loth  :  This  evening,  about  five  of  the  clock,  the 
Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland  began  his  journey  by  way  of  Windsor 
and  so  to  Bristol.  He  went  forth  in  that  state  and  equipage  as  the 
like  hath  hardly  been  seen  ;  himself  in  a  coach  with  six  gallant  Flan- 
ders mares,  whitish  grey  ;  divers  coaches  accompaiiying  him,  and  very 
many  great  officers  of  the  army  ;  his  life-guard  consisting  of  eighty 
gallant  men,  the  meanest  whereof  was  a  Commander  or  Esquire,  in 
stately  habit,  with  trumpets  sounding  almost  to  the  shaking  of  Char- 
ing Cross,  had  it  been  now  standing.  Of  his  life-guard  riiany  are 
colonels  ;  and,  believe  me,  it's  such  a  guard  as  is  hardly  to  be  paralleled 
in  the  world.  And  now  have  at  you,  my  Lord  of  Ormonde !  You 
will  have  men  of  gallantry  to  encounter,  whom  to  overcome  will  be 
honor  sufficient  ;  and  to  be  beaten  by  them  will  be  no  great  blemish 
to  your  reputation.  If  you  say,  "  Ca;sar  or  nothing,"  they  say,  "A 
Republic  or  nothing."  The  Lord  Lieutenant's  colors  are  white.  Thus 
he  was  conducted  to  Brentford,  where  the  gentlemen  who  accompa- 
nied him  took  their  leave,  wishing  him  a  prosperous  issue  to  his  under- 
taking, whom  he  answered  again  with  great  civility  and  respect. 
From  thence  he  posted  directly  for  Bristol,  by  Windsor,  Reading, 
Newbury,  Marlborough,  and  Bath. 

On  Saturday  evening,  July  14th,  he  entered  Bristol,  where  he 
was  royally  entertained  by  the  soldiers  and  officers  in  arms  and  others 
who  held  offices  by  order  of  Parliament.  The  citizens  likewise  ex- 
pressed much  joy  at  his  coming,  and  entertained  him  with  great 
respect.  The  people  thronged  from  the  surrounding  country  to  see 
him.  His  wife  and  several  other  members  of  his  family  came  to 
pass  some  days  with  him.  There,  for  reasons  which  it  is  not  possible 
to  ascertain,  he  remained  for  a  whole  month,  coming  and  going  be- 
tween the  different  places  along  the  coast,  and  receiving  numerous 
visitors.  He  seemed  still  to  hesitate,  and  to  quit  the  soil  of  England 
with  great  doubtfulness  and  effort.  Thence,  by  way  of  Tenby,  which 
he  reached  on  the  2nd  of  August,  and  Pembroke,  he  went  to  Mil- 
ford    Haven,     He  had  already  issued  orders  for  the  troops   to  ren- 


CROMWELL  7.V  IRELAND.  41 

dezvous  there. ^  The  parliament  ordered  transports  to  put  into  that 
port,  to  1)C  ready  for  the  conveyance  of  the  troops.  Twenty  ships 
were  sent  round  the  coast  with  a  convoy.  The  Council  of  State  issued 
orders  to  James  Powell,  Bristol,  to  stay  all  ships  in  the  ports  of  Bris- 
tol, Minchcad,  ]3arnstaple  and  Appledare,  fit  for  transporting  horse 
and  foot  to  Dublin,  and  to  send  them  to  Milford  Haven.  He  had 
sent  a  dispatch  to  Chester,  directing  Colonels  Venablcs,  Iluncks  a'nd 
Reynolds  to  embark.  Their  regiments,  consisting  of  1500  foot  and- 
600  lioise,  well  suj^plied  with  clothing  and  all  other  necessaries,  set 
sail  witliout  delay,  and  being  favored  with  a  prosperous  wind,  reached 
Dublin  on  the  25th  of  July,  the  day  before  Ormonde  sat  about  invest- 
ing the  city.^  Some  of  the  troops  were  disheartened  at  the  news  of 
Ormonde's  approach  to  Dublin  at  the  head  of  an  army  of  30,000  men, 
and  made  no  secret  of  their  unwillingness  to  engage  in  so  hazardous 
an  enterprise  as  the  landing  in  Ireland  under  such  disadvantages. 
Colonel  ITorton's  regiment  refused  to  embark,  and  disbanded  them- 
selves. Colonel  Cook's  regiment  rose  in  mutiny  at  Minehead  ;  many 
of  the  men  deserted.  With  difficulty  the  officers  appeased  those  who 
remained  and  got  them  on  board.  At  Bristol  a  whole  battalion  re- 
fused to  embark.^  Cromwell  suddenly  appeared  among  them,  and 
their  complaints  were  hushed  ;  at  the  same  time  preachers  labored 
strenuously  to  work  on  their  prejudices.  They  were  compared  to  the 
Israelites  proceeding  to  extirpate  the  idolatrous  inhabitants  of  Canaan, 
and  described  as  the  chosen  instruments  by  which  heaven  was  to  over- 
throw the  empire  of  ]^al)y]on  and  establish  in  its  stead  tlie  New  Jeru- 
salem. Wednesday,  August  ist,  was  kept  by  Act  of  Parliament  a 
public  fast  throughout  England  and  Wales,  to  call  upon  God  for  a 
blessing  upon  the  Lord  Lieutenant  Cromwell's  forces  against  the 
enemies  of  the  parliament  in  England  and  in  Ireland. 

But  the  welcome  tidings  of  Jones'  success  gave  them  courage  ; 
they  loudly  expressed  their  desire  to  proceed  to  Ireland.  Cromwell 
eml)arkcd  the  day  after  the  good  news  reached  him.  From  on  board 
the  sldp  John,  at  Milford,  he  wrote  to  his  "  loving  brother,"  Richard 
Mayor,  whose  daughter  had  just  been  married  to  his  eldest  son,  Rich- 
ard Cromwell,  expressing  to  him  his  joy  at  Jones'  victory.  "This  is 
an  astonishing  mercy,"  he  wrote,  "  so  great  and  seasonable,  that  in- 
deed we  are  like  them  that  dreamed.  What  can  we  say  }  The  Lord 
fill  our  souls  with  thankfulness,  that  our  mouths  may  be  full  of  his 
praise,  and  our  lives  too  ;  and  grant  we  may  never  forget  his  goodness 
to  us.     These  things  seem  to  strengthen  our  faith   and  love  against 

'  July  2 1  St.  The  Lord  Lieutenant  appointed  Milford  Haven  the  general  rendezvous 
of  all  the  forces  for  Ireland.     Whitelocke,  p.  399. 

^  Reynolds  and  his  party  were  detained  by  contrary  winds  for  some  time.  This  delay 
caused  a  report  to  go  abroad  that  it  was  intended  to  make  a  descent  on  Munster,  which  un- 
happily divided  Inchiquin  and  a  good  body  of  men  from  Ormonde,  as  he  marched  towards 
Dublin.     Clarendon's  Nisi,  of  the  Rebellion,  vol.  iii.  p.  322. 

3  Many  of  Colonel  Tutliill's  soldiers  have  manifested  great  disaffection,  and  threat- 
ened to  run  to  the  enemy,  when  transported  ....  Colonel  Levesy's  regiment,  designed  for 
Ireland,  a  great  burden,  by  their  disorderly  carriage,  expressing  great  disaffection  to  the 
Commonwealth  ....  Some  of  Colonel  Reynold's  troopers  disorderly,  swearing  they  will 
not  go  to  Ireland.  Colonel  Horton's  regiment  refused  to  go  to  Iieland  and  disbanded 
themselves Major  Bethel  and  other  officers  refused  to  go. 


42  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 

more  difficult  times.  Sir,  pray  for  me,  that  I  may  walk  worthy  of  the 
Lord  in  all  that  he  hath  called  me  to." 

On  Monday,  August  13th,  he  sat  sail  with  the  van  of  his  army  in 
thirty-two  ships.  Commissary-General  Ireton,^  his  son-in-law,  followed 
two  days  after,  with  the  main  body  of  the  army  in  forty-two  vessels. 
His  chaplain,  Hugh  Peters, ^  with  twenty  sail  brought  up  the  rear. 
Three  regiments  were  left  behind  for  want  of  shipping.  "  There  was 
much  seeking  of  God  by  prayer  for  a  blessing  upon  them,  and  the 
country  people  prayed  heartily  for  a  fair  wind  for  them.  The  wind 
proved  favorable  ;  the  second  day  following  they  landed  at  Ringsend, 
near  Dublin,  Sir  George  Ascough^  having  secured  the  harbor  for  them 
with  his  ships.  Cromwell's  original  design  was,  that  a  part  of  the 
army,  under  Ireton,  should  effect  a  landing  somewhere  in  Munster, 
"for  the  Irish  did  account  that  province  to  be  the  key  of  the  king- 
dom, both  by  reason  of  the  cities  and  walled  towns  (which  are  more 
than  all  the  little  island  besides),  the  fruitfulness  of  the  country,  being 
reputed  the  garden  of  Ireland,  and  the  commodious  harbors  lying 
open  both  to  France  and  Spain."  Besides,  he  had  secret  assurances 
from  the  friends  of  the  parliament  in  the  southern  towns,  that  his 
forces  would  be  received  there  with  favor.'*  But  Jones'  success  and 
the  necessity  of  recovering  some  garrisons  near  Dublin,  for  want  of 
which  the  forces  within  the  city  would  soon  be  reduced  to  great  ex- 
tremity, made  him  alter  his  plan,  and  order  that  all  should  land  at 
Dublin.  Inchiquin,  too,  was  master  of  a  great  part  of  the  south,  and 
for  the  moment  he  was  on  the  King's  side. 

The  invading  army  was  made  up  of  Ireton's,  Scroop's,  Horton's, 
Lambert's,  and  Cromwell's  own  regiments  of  horse;  of  Abbott's, 
Mercer's,  Fletcher's,  Garland's,  and  Bolton's  troops  of  dragoons  ;  and 

'  Ireton,  two  years  before,  had  married  Bridget,  Cromwell's  eldest  daughter.  This 
connection  and  his  own  merits,  for  he  had  distinguished  himself  at  Naseby,  soon  obtained 
for  him  speedy  promotion  in  the  army.  He  was  the  chief  cause  of  the  King's  death,  having 
intercepted  a  letter  in  which  Charles  declared  his  intention  of  putting  Cromwell  to  deatli. 
He  was  made  jjresident  of  Munster  in  1650,  and  later  Lord  Dejiuty.  He  died  in  the  zenit 
of  his  successes  at  Limerick,  Nov.  15th,  1651.  His  body  was  taken  to  England  and  buried 
with  the  English  sovereigns  in  the  chapel  of  Henry  VH.  at  Westminster  Abbe\.  After 
the  Restoration  it  was  exhumed  and  burned  at  Tyburn.  Lingard's  //:s/  of  England,  vol. 
ix.  p.  8.     His  widow  married  Fleetwood,  who  succeeded  him  as  Lord  Deputy. 

■•^  Peters,  at  the  beginning  of  the  troubles  in  Ireland,  had  a  brigade  against  the  rebels, 
and  came  off  with  honor  and  victory,  and  the  like  was  now  expected  of  him.  Whiielocke, 
p.  410.  He  fell  sick,  and  returned  to  Wales  immediately  after  the  capture  of  Wexford,  and 
there  seems  to  have  been  emi)loyed  looking  to  the  shippmg  of  recruits,  supplies,  &c.,  while 
Cromwell  was  in  Ireland. 

^  Ascough  had  f(night  against  Van  Tromp  antl  De  Ruyter.  When  the  fleet  revolted 
o  the  Prince  of  Wales,  he  declared  for  the  parliament,  and  brought  the  Lion  man-of-war, 
which  he  commanded,  into  the  Tliames.  The  following  year  the  parliament  ajipointed  him 
Vice- Admiral,  and  ordered  that  he  should  have  the  command  of  the  Irish  seas, giving  him  "a 
ship  pr()i:iortionable  to  that  great  honor,  and  at  present  greatest  service."  Perfect  Diurnal, 
March  2nd,  1649.  ^^^  ^'^^  much  towards  reducing  the  whole  island  10  the  obedience  of  the 
republic.     Granger's  Biog.  Hist,  of  England,  vol.  v.  p.  15S  ;  London,  1824. 

*  Ireton  seems  to  have  sailed  for  Munster,  and  to  have  been  forced  by  stress  of  weather 
to  land  at  Dublin.  "  Major-CJeneral  Ireton  designed  for  Munster,  hovering  at  Cabell  Island, 
near  Youghal,  some  days,  did  r.ot  see  ground  to  put  in  ihere  ;  the  loih  day  from  his  putting 
out  from  Milforcl,  he  landed  at  Dublin  with  seventy  sail  ;  after  him  the  third  scjuadron, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Horton,  consisting  of  18  sail;  in  all  113." 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  '43 

of  Ewer's,  Cooke's,  Hcwson's,^  Djane's,  and  Cromwell's  regiments  of 
foot,  and  Colonel  Phayre's  Kentish  regiment.  The  divisions  of  Jones 
and  Monk,  already  in  Ireland  for  some  time,  were  also  under  his  com- 
mand. The  whole  force  at  his  disposal  must  have  been  over  17,000 
men,  most  of  them  well  trained  to  war,  and  in  good  heart  on  account 
of  their  past  successes.  He  had,  besides,  several  pieces  of  artillery, 
an  abundant  supply  of  military  stores,  and  ^200,000  in  money.^ 
Among  the  officers  were  many  whose  names  are  familiar  to  the  read- 
ers of  Irish  history,  Mcnry  Cromwell,  the  Protector's  second  son,  and 
later  Lord  Deputy  ;  Jones,  I^lakc,  Sankey,  Ingoldsby,'^  and  others 
equally  prominent  in  bringing  about  the  King's  death  and  raising  up 
the  Commonwealth. 

On  his  arrival  in  Dublin,  "  he  was  most  heroically  entertained 
with  the  resounding  echo  of  the  great  guns  round  about  the  city,  and 
a  great  concourse  of  people  to  see  him."  When  nearly  in  the  heart 
of  the  city,  where  the  concourse  was  greatest,  he  halted,  and  rising  in 
his  carriage,  with  his  hat  in  his  hand,  he  made  a  very  grateful  speech 
to  the  people.  "  He  did  not  doubt,"  he  said,  "that  as  God  had  brought 
him  thither  in  safety,  so  he  would  be  able,  by  divine  Providence  to 
restore  them  all  to  their  just  liberties  and  properties.  All  those 
persons  whose  hearts'  affections  were  real  for  the  carrying  of  the  great 
work  against  the  barbarous  and  bloodthirsty  Irish  and  all  their  adhe- 
rents and  confederates,  for  the  propagating  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ, 
the  establishing  of  truth  and  peace,  and  restoring  of  this  bleeding 
nation  of  Ireland  to  its  former  happiness  and  tranquility,  should  find 
favor  and  protection  from  the  parliament  of  England  and  from  him- 
self, and  withal  receive  such  rewards  and  gratuities  as  should  be 
answerable  to  their  merits."  This  speech  was  received  with  great 
applause  by  the  people,  who  all  cried  out,  "  We  will  live  with  you  and 
die  with  you." 

It  must  be  borne  in  mmd  that  two  years  before  this  time,  soon 
after  Dublin  was  surrendered  by  Ormonde  to  the  parliament,  the  new 
governor,  Colonel  Michael  Jones,  ordered  all  the  "Papists"  to  quit; 
they  were  forbidden  to  return  under  severe  penalties  ;  under  pain  of 
death  no  one  should  pass  the  night  within  the  city  walls.  This  order 
was  renewed  by  the  parliament,  with  the  additional  clause,  that  any- 
one giving  shelter  to  a  priest  or  Jesuit,  even  for  a  single  hour,  should 

1  Ilewson,  the  one-eyed  cobbler,  who  from  a  mender  of  old  shoes  became  a  reformer  of 
government  and  religion.  His  bravery  in  the  field  soon  raised  him  to  the  rank  of  colonel. 
Cromwell  had  such  a  high  opinion  of  liim  that  he  made  him  governor  of  Dublin.  Later  lie 
became  a  member  of  the  Barebones  Parliament,  a  Lord  of  the  Upper  House,  and  a  member 
of  the  Council  of  Safety.  After  the  Restoration  he  fled  to  Amsterdam,  where  he  died  in 
obscurity. 

2  Hill  says  he  brought  with  him  also  an  immense  supply  of  Bd)les  and  a  vast  store 
of  scythes.  McDoiinells  of  AnUini,  p.  275;  Belfast,  1873.  "Last  Monday,  Colonel  Hew- 
so  1.  with  a  consitlcrable  body  of  horse,  marched  into  Wicklow.  He  doih  now  intend  to 
make  use  of  the  scythes  and  sickles  that  were  sent  over  in  1649,  with  which  they  intended  to 
cut  down  the  growing  corn  in  those  parts,  which  the  enemy  is  to  live  upon  in  winter  time, 
and  thereby,  for  want  of  bread  and  cattle,  the  tories  may  be  left  destitute  of  provisions,  and 
so  forced  10  submit  and  quit  these  places."  Letter  of  the  Commissioners  for  Ireland  to  the 
parliamcni,  Dublin.  July  ist,  1650;   in   The  Croimvellian  Settlement,  p.  78. 

3  "  Dick  Ingoldsby,  who  can  neither  pray  nor  preach  ;  I'll  entrust  him  before  ye  all." 


44  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 

lose  his  life  and  forfeit  his  property.  At  Ormonde's  approach  to  the 
city  Jones  again  "put  out  all  the  men,  Roman  Catholics,  out  of  Dub- 
lin ;^  but  their  wives  and  children  were  allowed  to  stay." 

On  the  23d  of  August  he  published  the  following  proclamation  ; 
it  was  dated  from  Dublin  Castle  : 

"Whereas  God  Almighty,  in  the  abundance  of  his  mercy  and  goodnes.s,  hath 
been  pleased  from  time  to  time  to  vouchsafe  preservation  and  dehverance  unto  tliis 
city  from  the  rage  and  cruelty  of  a  bloody  enemy,  and  in  a  special  manner  to  mani- 
fest his  .  .  .  "^  numerous  army  of  rebels  encanijjed  about  this  city;  wliicli  continur.l 
mercies  do  justly  call  for  a  thankful  acknowledgement  of  his  gracious  goodness,  by  a 
sincere  and  earnest  endeavor  as  well  as  to  maintain  the  honor  of  his  motit  holy  name 
as  to  oppose  and  take  away  such  offences,  being  contrary  and  displeasing  to  his  divine 
will.  And  yet  notwithstanding,  by  the  frequent  practice  of  profane  swearing,  curs- 
ing, and  drunkenness,  his  holy  name  is  daily  dishonored  and  blasphemed  to  the 
scandal  and  grief  of  all  good  men,  although  the  said  offences  are  prohibited  by  the 
law  of  God,  the  known  laws  of  the  land,  and  the  known  ai tides  of  war;  whereby 
we  have  just  cause  to  fear  that,  without  a  thorough  reformation  of  such  sins,  he  may 
deservedly  break  off  the  continuance  of  his  wonted  kindness  towards  this  place  and 
give  us  over  to  destruction.  And  forasmuch  as  it  is  a  duty  required  at  the  hand  of 
the  magistrate,  who  ought  not  to  bear  the  sword  in  vain,  but  to  improve  the  power 
committed  into  his  hand  for  llie  ])unishment  and  prevention  of  offences,  we  therefore 
sadly  taking  the  premises  into  consideration,  and  resolving  that  the  said  offences  be 
strictly  proceeded  arainst  and  punished  according  to  the  utmost  severity  and  rigor 
of  the  law,  do,  by  this  our  proclamation,  strictly  cliarge  and  command  that  as  well 
the  mayor  of  this  city  and  other  officers  and  ministers  of  justice  in  the  same  city 
whom  the  same  shall  concern,  as  also  that  all  officers  of  tJie  army,  do  respectively 
cause  the  said  laws  and  articles  to  be  put  in  execution  against  all  such  persons  as 
shall  offend  against  the  same.  And  we  do  further  charge  and  command  all  officers 
of  the  army  to  be  aiding  and  assisting  to  the  said  mayor  of  this  city  and  other  the 
said  otificers  and  ministers  of  justice  therein,  for  the  appehending  of  all  and  every 
the  said  offenders  which  shall  be  members  of  the  army,  and  for  the  bringing  of 
them  before  their  proper  officers,  whereby  they  may  be  severely  punished  according 
to  the  said  articles  of  war.  And  we  do  hereby  declare  our  full  resolution  to  punish 
the  neglect  and  contempt  of  this  our  j)roclamation  with  the  severest  punishment 
which  by  law  may  be  inflicted  upon  the  contemners  thereof." 

/  The  following  day  he  issued   another  proclamation.     The  army 

I  was  deeply  imbued  witli  a  horror  and  detestation  of   the  Irish  rebels, 

1  the  result  of  the  continual  reports  of  the  atrocities  alleged  to  have 

1  been    perpetrated    on    their    Protestant  brethren.     Hence   they  were 

1  ready  to  interpret  most  liberally  the  orders  given  them  to  treat  the 

'  Irish  pople  as  the  IsraeUtes  in  Joshua's  time  were  bidden  to  treat  the 
Canaanites,  to  utterly  destroy  them,  to  show  them  no  mercy.^  • 

"Whereas  I  am  informed  that,  upon  th.e  marching  out  of  the  armies  heretofore 
and  of  parties  from  garrisons,  a  liberty  hath  been  taken  by  the  soldiers  to  abuse, 
rob,  and  pillage,  and  too  often  to  exercise  cruelties  upon  the  country  people  ;  being 
resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  diligently  and  strictly  to   restrain  such  wickedness 

1  An  exception  seems  to  have  l)een  made  in  favor. of  Father  Nicholas  Netterville,  S.  J., 
who  was  on  terms  of  great  intimacy  with  Cromwell,  often  dining  at  his  table  and  playing 
chess  with  him.  Captain  Foulkes  having  accused  him  of  saving  Mass,  he  replied  :  "  I  am 
a  priest,  and  the  Lord  General  knows  it.  And  tell  all  the  town  of  it,  and  that  I  will  say 
Mass  here  every  day."     Gilbert's  History  of  the  City  of  Dublin,  vol  i.  p.  56;  Dublin,  1S61. 

2  Some  words  are  wanting  in  the  original  here. 

8  Deuter.  vii.  2.  On  Cromwell's  arrival  in  Dublin  he  addressed  his  soldiers,  and  de 
Glared  no  mercy  should  lie  shown  to  the  Iiish,  and  that  they  should  be  dealt  with  as  the 
Canaanites  in  Joshua's  time. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRKLASD  45 

for  tlie  fuUire,  I  do  hereby  warn  and  require  all  oflicers,  soldiers,  and  others  under 
my  command,  henceforth  to  forbear  all  such  evil  practices  as  aforesaid,  and  not  to 
do  any  wrong  or  violence  towards  country  people  or  persons  whatsoever,  unless  they 
be  actually  in  arms  or  office  with  the  enemy,  and  not  to  meddle  with  the  goods  of 
such  without  special  order.  And  I  further  declare  that  it  shall  be  free  and  lawful 
to  and  for  all  manner  of  persons  dwelling  in  the  country,  as  well  gentlemen  and 
soldiers  as  farmers  and  other  people,  such  as  are  in  arms  or  office  with  or  for  the 
enemy  only  exce'pted,  to  make  their  repair  and  bring  any  provisions  unto  the  army, 
while  in  march  or  camp,  or  unto  any  garrison  under  my  command  ;  hereby  assuring 
all  such  that  they  shall  not  be  troubled  or  molested  in  their  persons  or  goods,  but 
shall  have  the  benefit  of  a  free  market,  and  receive  ready  money  for  the  goods  and 
commodities  they  shall  so  bring  and  sell.  And  that  they,  behaving  themselves 
peaceably  and  quietly,  and  paymg  such  contributions  .proportionably  with  their 
neighbors  as  have  been,  or  shall  be  duly  and  orderly  imposed  upon  them  for  main- 
tenance of  the  parliament's  forces  and  other  public  uses,  shall  have  free  leave  .and 
liberty  to  live  at  home  with  their  families  and  goods,  and  shall  be  protected  in  their 
persons  and  estates,  by  virtue  hereof,  until  the  ist  day  of  January  next,  by  or  before 
which  time  all  such  of  them  as  are  minded  to  reside  and  plough  and  sow  in  the 
quarters,  are  to  make  their  addresses  for  new  and  further  protection  to  the  attorney- 
general,  residing  at  Dublin,  and  to  such  other  persons  as  shall  be  authori/.ed  for 
that  ])ur])ose.  And  hereof  I  require  all  soldiers  and  others  under  my  command, 
diligently  to  take  notice  and  observe  the  same,  as  they  shall  answer  to  the  contrary 
at  their  utmost  perils  ;  strictly  charging  and  commanding  all  officers  and  others  in 
their  several  places  carefully  to  see  to  it,  that  no  wrong  or  violence  be  done  to  7iv\y 
such  person  as  aforesaid,  contrary  to  the  effect  of  the  premises.  Being  resolved, 
through  the  grace  of  God,  to  punish  all  that  shall  offend  contrary  thereunto,  very 
severely,  according  to  law  or  articles  of  war;  to  displace  and  otherwise  punish  all 
such  officers  as  shall  be  found  negligent  in  their  places,  and  not  see  the  cKie  observ 
ance  hereof,  and  not  to  punish  the  offenders,  under  their  respective  commanders. 
Given  at  ]3ublin,  the  24th  of  August,  1649." 

This  last  proclamation  was  a  shrewd  piece  of  policy.  No  previ- 
ous invader  had  thought  of  conciliating  the  peasantry  by  promises  of 
justices  and  protection.  The  Royalist  army,  especially  that  portion 
of  it  that  was  commanded  by  Inchiquin,  had  plundered  friend  and  foe 
alike  without  mercy  ;  even  the  Confederates  had  shown  little  scruple 
in  their  dealings  with  the  tillcrs-of  the  soil.  The  opinion  spread 
rapidly  abroad,  tliat  Cromwell  was  more  favorably  disposed  to  the 
native  Irish  than  the  Royalists  under  Inchic]uin  or  the  descendants  of 
the  original  invaders  who  sat  in  the  Council  of  Kilkenny.  Nor  were 
his  threats  of  punishment  idle  words.  On  his  way  to  Drogheda  he 
oixlcrcd  two  of  his  private  soldiers  to  be  put  to  death  in  the  face  of 
the  whole  army  for  stealing  two  hens  from  a  poor  Irishwoman.  On 
the  strict  observance  of  this  proclamation,  and  on  the  positive  assur- 
ance given  by  his  officers  that  they  were  for  the  liberties  of  the  Com- 
mons :  that  every  one  should  enjoy  the  freedom  of  his  religion,  and 
that  those  who  served  the  market  at  the  camp  should  pay  no  contribu- 
tion, the  country  people  flocked  in  with  all  kinds  of  provisions  ;  and 
due  payment  being  made  for  the  same,  his  army  was  much  better  sup- 
plied than  even  that  of  the  Irish  had  ever  been.^ 

According  to   tradition,  he  occupied   during   his  stay  in    Dublin, 

'  When  Cromwell  possessed  himself  of  Ireland,  several  merchants  in  Dublin  and 
other  towns,  to  supply  a  scarcity  of  small  change,  coined  pence  and  halfpence  of  copper  and 
brass,  with  their  name  and  place  of  abod;  on  them,  whicli  they  were  obliged  to  make  erood 
afterwards. 


46  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


the  old  house  which  stood  at   the  corner  of  Castle   Street  and  Wer- 
burgh  Street.^ 

"  The  buff  coat,  instead  of  the  black  gown,  appeared  in  Dublin 
pulpits,  that  being  a  furtherer  of  preferment  if  valor  accompanied  it  ; 
to  use  two  swords  well  is  meritorious.  Not  a  word  of  St.  Austin  or 
Thomas  Aquinas,  nor  any  such  hard  words  ;  only  downright  honesty 
was  now  given  forth."  In  spite  of  this  display  of  religion,  the  troop- 
ers' horses  were  stabled  in  St.  Patrick's  cathedral. 

*  This  house  was  demolished  in  1812  by  order  of  the  Commissioners  of  Wide  Streets, 
and  the  materials  sold  for  ^^40. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  47 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  SEIGE  AND  CAPTURE  OF  DROGHEDA.   -, 

Muster  of  the  Army  —  The  March  —  Finglas  Cross — Defences  of  Drogheda  —  The  Garri- 
son—  Sir  Arthur  Aston — The  Fortifications  —  Cromwell's  Account  of  the  Siege  — 
The  .Assault  —  No  Quarter —  Death  of  Ashton  —  Official  List  of  the  Slain  —  The 
Bloody  Street  —  The  Survivors. 

After  a  few  days'  rest  —  for  the  men  and  horses  had  been  so 
so  sick  at  sea  that  they  could  not  march  any  sooner,^  —  and  a  public 
thanksgiving  for  their  safe  arrival,  Cromwell  determined  to  take  the 
field.  His  present  plan  of  action  was  wholly  different  from  that  which 
he  professed  to  have  in  view  while  the  expedition  was  in  preparation. 
He  felt  that  the  fiercest  passions  of  the  Protestants  and  Republicans 
were  roused  against  the  Catholics  and  the  Royalists,  and  could  be 
readily  made  to  serve  his  purposes.  The  instructions  which  he  now 
received  from  the  parliament  were  inspired  by  the  news  of  Jones' 
victory.  The  scheme  to  gain  O'Neill  over  was  at  an  end  ;  the  nego- 
tiations with  the  Catholics  were  broken  off  wholly. 

Friday,  August  31st,  was  appointed  for  a  general  muster  of  the 
forces  imdcr  his  command.  They  assembled  to  the  number  of  15,000 
men.  From  these  he  chose  twelve  regiments,  in  all  about  10,000 
"  stout,  resolute  men  for  the  present  service  "  ;  at  their  head  he  crossed 
the  Liffey,  and  encamped  about  three  miles  to  the  north  of  Dublin 
"in  the  field  of  Lord  Barnwell."^  The  next  day  he  began  the  march 
to  Drogheda,  probably  by  the  high  road  passing  through  Swords  and 
Balbriggan  ;  in  the  evening  he  pitched  his  camp  "  at  ]-5allygarth, 
close  to  the  Nannywater,"  twenty  miles  from  Dublin.  There  is  still 
standing  in  the  churchyard  of  Finglass  an  ancient  cross  ;  it  was  held 
in  such  veneration  that  two  baronies  of  the  county  of  Dublin,  Upper 
and  Nether  Cross,  have  had  their  names  from  it.  The  emblem  of  our 
salvation  was  to  the  Puritans  "the  m.ark  of  the  Beast,"  and  they 
directed  against  it  their  pious  rage.  It  is  said  that  a  detachment  of 
the  soldiers  pulled  it  down,  intending  to  break  it  in  pieces.  Fortun- 
ately tlicy  did  not  carry  out  their  purpose  wholly.  The  inhabitants 
buried  it,  in  order  to  save  it  from  further  desecration.  On  the  return 
of  the  army,  a  fortnight  later,  it  could   not  be  found.^     Baldungan 

'  rcrfect  Diurnal,  Aug.  22d.  "  The  Lord  Lieutenant  was  as  sick  at  sea  as  any  man  I 
ever  saw  in  my  life."     Letter  of  Peters  from  Milford,  Aug.  i6th. 

'  Letter  from  Ireland  in  Crovnvelliana,  p.  64  ;  probably  at  Turvey ;  the  castle,  for- 
merly the  residence  of  the  Barnwells,  i<s  still  standing.  The  proprietor  then  was  Nicholas 
Barnwell,  created  Viscount  Barnwell  of  Turvey  in  1645. 

•''  Taylor's  Ch'il  Wars,  vol.  ii.  p.  15.  It  was  discovered  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Walsh,  author 
of  the  IliiUvy  of  Dublin,  in  1816.  It  is  of  granite,  and  stands  on  a  pedestal  about  eight 
ieet  high. 


BOSTON  COLLEGE  LIBRARY 


48  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 

castle  was  battered  by  the  ships. ^  Coming  to  Gormanstown,  Crom- 
well attempted  to  get  possession  of  the  heir,  then  a  child  in  arms. 
The  boy  was  saved  by  the  exertions  of  the  parish  priest,  who  fled  with 
him  to  France,  and  later  had  him  brought  up  in  the  Catholic  religion.^ 
As  the  enemy  advanced,  the  Irish  forces  along  the  coast  and  in  the 
adjoining  parts  of  Meath  hastened  to  obstruct  his  passage.  But  owing 
to  the  promptness  of  his  movements,  they  could  do  no  more  than 
make  sudden  onsets  and  retreat  before  him. 

Drogheda^  is  a  seaport  town,  on  the  east  coast,  about  twenty-three 
miles  due  north  of  Dublin.  Cromwell  felt  that  the  possession  of  this 
place  would  be  of  the  utmost  importance  to  him.  Being  the  passport 
to  the  Northern  parts  of  Ireland,  it  was  essential  to  the  security  of 
the  metropolis  and  the  keeping  up  of  communication  with  those  parts  ; 
as  a  seaport  situated  opposite  the  English  coast,  it  afforded  the  most 
direct  means  of  intercourse  with  England.  Hence,  it  was  resolved 
by  the  confederates  in  a  council  of  war,  consisting  of  fifteen  members, 
held  August  23d,  that  "  Drogheda  was  to  be  maintained."  The  gov- 
ernor of  the  town  gave  orders  to  destroy  the  castles  of  Belgard, 
Athcairne,  Dardistown,  and  Bellewstown,  and  sent  out  a  party  for  that 
purpose.  But  the  enemy  had  anticipated  him,  and  coming  up,  got 
possession  of  some  and  secured,  by  advancing  with  a  great  body  of 
horse,  the  rest  of  them.  Ormonde,  judging  it  would  be  the  first  place 
attacked,  applied  his  utmost  industry  to  supply  it  with  all  things 
that  it  needed.  He  ordered  the  fortifications  to  be  repaired,  and  pro- 
visions and  ammunition  to  be  thrown  into  it,  as  well  as  the  shortness 
of  the  time  would  allow.  All  suspected  persons  were  forced  to  quit. 
He  hoped  to  put  it  in  such  a  state  of  defence  that  it  would  occupy 
the  besiegers  a  considerable  time  and  cause  them  some  loss ;  mean- 
time he  would  employ  himself  in  recruiting  his  shattered  forces  and 
in  preparing  further  means  of  resistance.  He  then  withdrew  to  Trim 
with  his  horse  and  a  small  body  of  foot,  whence  he  sent  orders  to 
Lord  Inchiquin  to  bring  up  whatever  forces  he  could  muster,  all  tears 
of  Cromwell's  landing  in  Munster  being  now  at  an  end.  He  remained 
in  the  town  till  the  last  moment,  making  arrangements  for  its  defence. 

'  Baldungaii  castle,  fourteen  miles  north  of  Dublin,  formerly  belonged  to  the  Knighis 
Templars.  After  thei>  suppression  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Barnwells,  and  through 
them  by  the  female  line  to  the  Berminghams  and  St.  Laurences.  In  the  war  of  1651  it  was 
held  by  Thomas  Fitzwilliam  for  the  Confederates.  D'A'ton's  History  of  Drogheda,  vol.  i.  p. 
1 13  :  Dublin,  1844. 

-  This  must  have  been  Jenico.  7th  viscount  Gormanstown.  His  father,  Nicholas,  the 
6th  viscount,  took  a  leading  part  among  the  gentlcn\en  of  the  Pale  in  the  war  of  1641  ;  for 
which  he  was  outlawed  and  excepted  from  pardon  for  life  or  estate.  In  16S8,  the  7th  viscount 
took  \\\^  siile  of  James  II.,  and  was  in  consccjuence  outlawed.  The  outlawry  was  reversed 
and  the  estates  recovered,  after  a  tedious  suit  by  his  r.ejihew. 

8  Droched  Atha,  i.,  e.  the  Bridge  of  the  Ford  :  it  is  Latinized  Urbs  Pontana  and  Vadi- 
pontum  ;  by  the  English  it  was  called  Treoid  and  Tredagh.  In  \zz%,  Henry  III.  granted  to 
the  good  men  of  Drogheda  tolls  for  one  year  for  the  building  of  their  bridge.  In  1234,  a 
murage  charter  was  gran  ed  to  the  town  at  both  sides  of  the  river.  The  part  to  the  north 
of  the  Boyne  is  called  in  ancient  documents  Drogheda  towards  Uriel,  the  southern  part 
Drogheda  towards  Meath.  Great  dissentions  subsisted  between  the  two  parts,  which  were 
often  attended  with  bloodshed.  By  the  exeriions  of  F.  Philip  Bennett,  O.  P.,  a  reconcilia- 
tion took  i^lace  in  1412  ;  the  result  was  a  petition  to  Henry  VI.  to  unite  the  town  under  one 
mayor  and  form  it  into  one  special  county.  A  burlesque  used  to  take  place  yearly,  on 
Shrove  Tuesday,  in  memory  of  this  ancient  feud. 


CROMWELL    IX  IRKLAND.  4? 

Though  anxious  to  share  Ihc  dangers  with  the  garrison,  lie  could  not  ( 
allow  himself  to  be  shut  up  there  and  thus  prevented  from  issuing  \ 
orders  to  the  rest  of  the  forces.  Some  days  later  he  weirt  to  Tecro-  \ 
ghan^  and  thence  to  Portlcster,^  and  awaited  there  Inchiquin's  com-  i 
ing  up  before  making  any  attack  on  the  enemy. 

Yet,  in  spite  of  the  efforts,  the  town  was  but  indifferently  sup- 
plied. Only  a  week  before  Cromwell  appeared,  the  governor  wrote 
to  Ormonde  :  "Yesternight  there  came  from  Dundalk.ten  barrels  of 
powder,  but  very  little  match  ;  and  that  is  a  thing  most  wanting  here  ; 
and  for  round  shot  not  any  at  all.  I  beseech  your  E.xccllcncy  to  be 
pleased  to  give  speedy  orders  for  same,  as  also  for  the  sudden  coming 
of  men  and  moneys.  Bellyfood,  I  perceive,  will  prove  scarce  amongst 
us,  but  my  endeavors  shall  never  be  sparing  to  approve  myself."  He 
was  much  embarrassed,  too,  by  the  movements  of  Lady  Wilmot  and 
other  ladies,  his  near  relatives,  then  in  Drogheda,  whom  he  discovered 
to  be  in  communication  with  Colonel  Jones  and  other  officers  of  the 
Parliamentary  army  in  Dublin. 

The  town  was  garrisoned  by  2,221  foot  and  320  horse,  nearly  all 
of  whom  were  Irish,  viz.,^  Ormonde's  regiment  of  400  men,  under  the 
command  of  Sir  Edward  Verney ;  Colonel  Byrne's  Colonel  Wall's, 
and  Colonel  Warren's  regiments,  amounting  to  about  2,000  men  ; 
Lord  Westmeath's,  200  ;  Sir  James  Dillon's,  200  foot  and  200  horse  ; 
besides  500  foot  sent  in  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Griffin  Cavenagh 
while  Cromwell  lay  before  the  town.  The  horse  were  divided  into 
five  troops,  commanded  respectively  by  Major  Butler,  Captain  Har- 
pole,  Sir  John  Dungan,  Sir  James  Preston,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Dun- 
gan.  Captains  Plunket,  Fleming,  and  Finglas.  The  entire  force  of 
artillery  in  the  town  consisted  of  one  master-gunner,  two  gunners, 
and  three  gunner's  mates.  The  commander  to  whom  this  important 
place  was  confided  by  Ormonde,  with  the  full  consent  of  the  Com- 
missioners of  Trust,  was  Sir  Arthur  Aston,  a  Catholic,^  of  an  ancient 

^  Tecroghan,  five  miles  north  of  Trim,  belonged  to  .Sir  Luke  Filzgerald.  As  it  guarded 
the  passage  by  the  head  waters  of  the  Boyne,  it  was  called  "  one  of  the  pillars  of  Ireland." 
See  the  "  Declaration"  of  Jamestown. 

2  Portlester,  a  great  secure  fastness,  five  miles  west  of  Trim.  It  was  one  of  the  strong- 
holds of  .Silken  Thomas,  in  1556.  The  lordship  of  Portlester,  which  extended  to  Bellews- 
to\yn,  near  Bective,  passed  to  the  earls  of  Kildare,  by  the  marriage  of  Gerald,  8th  earl,  with 
Alison,  daughter  and  heiress  of  Sir  Rowland  FitzEustace,  who"  died  in  1495.  ^^^  Dean 
Butler".^  Trim  and  Us  Antiquities,-^.  \-i^i,;  Dublin,  1861.     The  castle  has  been  demolished. 

^  Ludlow,  Afctnoirs,  p.  116,  Bate,  Elenchics,  &c.,  vol.  ii.  p.  24,  and  others  say  the  gar- 
rison was  composed  almost  wholly  of  English.  Mr.  Froude  repeats  this  statement,  perhaps 
to  extenuate  Cromwell's  cruelties  to  the  Irish.  The  English  in  Ireland,  vol.  i.  p.  123  ;  Lon- 
don. 1S72.  But  Ormonde  expressly  says  the  contrary  in  his  answer  to  the  13th  Article  of 
the  Jamestown  "Declaration";  "Drogheda  was  put  into  the  hands  of  Sir  Arthur  Aston,  a 
Catholic  ;  and  of  the  soldiers  and  officers  of  the  garrison,  the  greater  part  were  of  that 
religion."  See  the  Appendix  to  The  History  of  the  Remonstrance,  p.  117.  In  the  Essex 
MSS.  at  Stowc,  too,  it  is  stated  that  the  majority  of  the  officers  and  soldiers  were  Catholics. 
D'Altou's  Hist,  of  Drogheda,  vol.  ii.  p.  162  ;  from  which  we  may  fairly  conclude  they  were 
Irish.  If  the  garrison  consisted  mainly  of  English,  how  could  Cromwell  say  that  "their 
death  was  a  righteous  punishment  for  having  imbrued  their  hands  in  innocent'blood  ?" 

^  "  Whom  the  Papists,  notwithstanding,  would  not  acknowledge  for  a  Papist."  Clar- 
endon's Rebellion,  vol.  ii.  p.  153.  "  He  had  the  misfortune  to  be  much  esteemed  where  he 
was  not  known,  and  very  much  detested  where  he  was."     Ibid.,  p.  527. 


>0  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


Cheshire  family,  allied  to  Viscount  Moore,  who  had  distinguishc  i 
himself  both  at  home  and  abroad,  lie  had  served  in  the  army  of 
Sigismund,  'King  of  Poland,  against  the  Turks. ^  When  the  civil  war 
broke  out  he  returned  to  England  and  was  appointed  colonel-general 
of  dragoons  ;  with  them  he  did  good  service  at  Edgehill.  Later  hj 
was  made  governor  of  Reading  and  Oxford.  Clarendon  says  there 
was  not  in  the  King's  army  a  man  of  greater  reputation,  or  one  of 
wdiom  the  enemy  had  greater  dread.  So  confident  was  he  of  the 
strength  of  his  position  and  of  the  courage  of  the  garrison,  that  he 
wrote  to  Ormonde,  "he  would  find  the  enemy  play,  and  that  the  gar 
rison,  being  select  men,  was  so  strong  that  the  town  could  not  be 
taken  by  assault  ;  that  they  were  unanimous  in  their  resolution  to 
perish  rather  than  deliver  up  the  place."  Hence  he  advised  to  hazard 
nothing  by  hastening  to  his  relief.  Ormonde,  therefore,  might  fairly 
reckon  on  a  lengthened  resistance  ;  and  he  well  knew  that  a  tedious 
siege  would  be  disastrous  to  the  assailants,  no  matter  how  well  dis- 
ciplined and  cared  for,  as  it  would  of  necessity  expose  them  to  all  the 
hardships  of  a  winter  campaign  in  a  hostile  country. 

The  fortifications  of  the  town  consisted  of  a  wall  more  than  a 
mile  and  a  half  in  length,  enclosing  an  area  of  about  sixty-four  acres 
Irish  measure.  Its  height  was  at)out  twenty  feet,  its  thickness  from 
four  to  six,  diminishing  towards  the  summit  so  as  to  allow  a  space  of 
about  two  feet  behind  the  embrasures  for  the  soldiers  to  stand  on. 
In  later  times  this  space  was  widened  by  the  addition  of  three  or  four 
feet  supported  by  columns  and  arches  of  stone,  on  which  there  was  a 
passage  leading  round  the  town,  with  doorways  through  the  gates, 
castles,  and  turrets.  This  wall  exists  still  on  the  Louth  side,  running 
fro^  the  west  gate  to  the  .river,  from  St.  Laurence's  gate  to  the  quay, 
bounding  Dominic  Lane  on  the  west  side,  and  Scarlet  Street  and 
Patrick  Street  to  the  south.  On  the  Meath  side  the  line  can  be  traced 
from  the  Butter  Tower  to  the  foot  of  the  Millmount,  and  from  Black- 
but  Lane  to  Priest's  Lane  ;  it  encloses  the  burial-ground  of  St.  Mary's 
parish  to  the  south  and  east.  There  is  a  fragment  also  between  St. 
James  Street  and  the  Boyne. 

The  gates  guarding  the  northern  part  of  the  town  were,  taken  in 
re^j-ular  order,  the  West  gate,  near  the  end  of  West  Street,  composed 
of  two  towers  and  a  portcullis  between  ;  Fair  gate,  adjoining  the  place 
where  fairs  were  held,  no  longer  identified  ;  Sunday's  gate,  so  called 
from   the   Dominican   or   St.  Sunday's  friary  near  it  ;2  this  was  also 


1  In  the  Harleian  MSS.  2149,  there  are  various  testimonies  of  foreign  princes  lauding 
his  conduct  in  the  wars  ;  one  is  a  record  of  a  )cai  ly  ])ension  of  700  florins  by  Sigismund. 
D'Alton's  //is/,  of  Dio^luda,  vol.  i.  p.  26S.  During  ilie  siege  he  resided  in  the  old  house  at 
the  corner  of  Patrick's  Well  Lane,  formerly  belonging  to  the  Elcock  family,  .as  may  be  seen 
by  the  arms  and  inscription  on  the  slab  let  into  the  gable.  James  II.  is  said  to  have  slept 
in  this  house  the  night  before  he  went  to  the  camp  at  Donore.  See  Wild's  Boytie  and  Black- 
tvater,  p.  30S  ;  Dublin>  1850. 

'-  S\M\Adiy,\.  c,  dies  dorniiiica.  The  Dominican  priory,  founded  in  1224  by  Luke  Net- 
terville,  Archbishop  of  Armagh  from  1217  to  1227,  was  under  the  invocation  of  St.  Mary 
Magdalen.  Here  on  March  i6th,  1395,  four  of  the  Irish  kmgs,  O'Neill,  O'Donnell,  O'Han- 
lon,  and  M'Mahon,  made  their  solemn  submission  to  Richard  II.  See  Ware's  Works,  \o\.  . 
ii.  p.  186.  Thomas,  8th  earl  of  Desmond,  beheailed  by  the  Lord  Deputy  Tiptoff,  February 
15th,  1467,  was  buried  in  this  church.     The  stately  monument  erected  over  his  grave  was 


CROMWELL   IX  IHELAXD.  51 

called  the  Cow  gate  ;  the  only  fragment  of  it  now  existing.!^  the  gable 
of  a  forge  ;  it  was  a  square  castle,  having  near  it  two  towers,  the 
Tooting  and  ]5oultcr's  ;  St.  Laurence's,  still  standing  ;'  St.  Catherine's, 
somewhere  at  the  edge  of  the  river  ;  its  site  is  not  known.  On  the 
Meath  side  were  St.  James'  or  the  Dublin  gate,  at  the  end  of  St. 
James'  Street,  where  the  stream  that  flows  through  the  Dale  falls 
into  the  lioync  ;  the  Blind  gate  ;  Duleek  gate,  on  the  Duleek  road  ; 
St.  John's  gate,  the  entrance  to  the  old  priory  of  St.  John  of  Jerusa- 
lem,^ which  stood  on  the  grounds  of  Ball's  Grove  ;  and  lastly,  the 
l^uttcr  gate,  an  octagon  perforated  with  an  arched  jiassagc.'^ 

But  Cromwell's  activity  and  boldness  soon  frustrated  Ormonde's 
plans  and  put  an  end  to  his  hopes.  He  was  too  well  aware  of  the 
evils  that  would  result  from  a  long  delay  before  the  town,  and  deter- 
hiined  to  spend  no  time  in  the  common  forms  of  approaches  and 
turnings.  Sir  George  Ascough's  ships,  which  had  attended  his  army 
on  the  march  from  Dublin,  blocked  up  the  entrance  to  the  harbor, 
and  prevented  any  aid  from  coming  in  by  sea.  Ormonde's  hope  of 
succor  from  Inchiquin  was  vain  ;  for  many  of  his  horse  were  English 
and  did  not  care  to  fight  against  their  countrymen  ;  whole  squadrons 
deserted. 

We  shall  let  the  Lieutenant-General  tell  the  history  of  his  suc- 
cesses, as  he  related  them  to  the  parliament,  supplementing  his  nar- 
rative from  other  sources  :  — 

"For  tlie  Riglit  Ilonorablc  William   Lcnthal/ ICsquirc,   Speaker  of  the  rarliainent 

of  England.      These  : 

Dublin^  I  'jth  of  Sept.,  1 649. 
"Sir,- 

"  Your  army  being  safely  arrived  at  Dublin,  and  the  enemy  endeavoring  to 
draw  all  his  forces  al)out  Trim  and  Tecrogan,  as  my  intelligence  gave  me,  from 
whence  endeavors  were  made  by  the  Marquis  of  Ormonde  to  draw  Owen  Roe 
O'Neill  with  his  forces  to  his  assistance,  but  with  what  success  I  cannot  yet  learn; 
1  resolved,  after  some  refreshment  taken  for  our  weather-beaten  men  and  horses, 
and  accommodations  for  a  march,  to  take  the  field.  And  accordingly  upon  Friday, 
the- 30th  of  August  last,*  I    rendezvoused  with  eight   regiments  of  foot  and  six  of 

remiived  to  Christ  Chorcli,  Dublin,  by  order  of  Sir  Henry  Sidney,  and  placed  in  the  room 
of  Karl  Strongbow's,  which  had  been  wholly  demolished  by  the  fall  of  that  part  of' the 
church.     Archclall's  Alonasiicoii,  p.  457  ;  Dublin,  17S6. 

1  The  priory  of  St(  Laurence  stood  near  the  gate  of  tlie  same  name  ;  to  it  belonged 
the  Innial-ground  called  the  Cord. 

-  This  was  made  subject  to  the  prior  of  St.  Keenan's,  Duleek,  by  Walter  de  Lacy  ; 
a  portion  of  the  funds  for  its  support  came  from  tolls  on  butter  taken  at  the  liutier  gate. 
aIi  these  gates  existed  up  to  90  years  ago.  There  were,  besides,  two  castles  on  the  Meath 
side,  built  soon  after  the  invasion  ;  the  one  called  the  Castle  of  Drogheda,  the  other  Hlack- 
agh.     D' Alton's  I/ist.  of  Drogheda,  vol.  i.  pp.  42  and  91. 

3  Drogeda  was  besieged  by  the  Irish  under  Sir  Phelim  O'Neill  in  1642.  Sir  Henry 
Tichhorne  was  then  governor,  and  Lord  Moore  was  in  command  of  the  cavalry.  An  interest- 
ing account  of  this  siege  is  given  in  The  Whole  Proceedwgs  of  the  Seige  of  Drogheda,  by 
Nicholas  Bernard,  Dean  of  Ardagh.     Dublin,  1736. 

•*  On  the  5th  of  November,  1640,  the  Commons  chose  him  to  be  their  Speaker,  and 
two  days  after  presented  him  to  the  King  with  the  usual  ceremonies.  Clarendon's  Rebellion, 
vol.  i.  p.  171. 

^  Should  be  31st  ;  this  error  about  the  day  of  the  month  runs  through  the  whole  of 
this  letter. 


52  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


horse,  and  some  troops  of  draj^joons,  three  miles  on  the  north  side  of  Dublin.  The 
design  was  to  endeavor  the  regaining  of  Drogheda,  or  tempting  the  enemy  upon 
hazard  of  the  losing  of  that  place  to  fight." 

On  the  night  of  September  2d,  a  body  of  horse  encamped  about 
two  miles  from  the  town.  Early  the  following  morning  Aston  was 
abroad  with  his  horse  ;  but  finding  the  enemy  too  strong  to  deal  with, 
he  retiu-ned  and  left  Captain  Finglas  on  the  field,  with  orders  not  to 
engage  but  upon  advantage,  and  only  with  small  parties,  to  discover 
their  motions.  In  the  afternoon  news  was  brought  him  that  about 
500  of  the  enemy's  horse  were  drawing  towards  the  fort  at  Oldbridge. 
In  a  letter  written  about  two  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  he 
apprised  Ormonde  that  the  enemy's  army,  or  the  greater  part  of  it, 
had  appeared.  "Their  foot,"  he  wrote,  "being  convoyed  over  by  an 
overawing  power  of  horse,  hath  taken  all  the  advantageous  places 
without  the  walls,  insomuch  that  I  am  very  confident  this  night  they 
will  make  their  batteries,  the  which  (all  places  being  so  serviceable 
to  them)  we  can  hardly  prevent.  ...  I  have  lost  one  captain  of  Col- 
onel Warren's  regiment,  who  was  slain  by  a  musket  shot.  Major 
Butler  hath  lost  two  horses,  the  one  of  them  shot  under  himself,  the 
other  a  trooper's,  a  soldier  or  two  wounded  ;  and  this  is  all  hitherto." 

"Your  army  came  before  the  town  upon  Monday  following,'  where  having 
pitched,  aspeedy  course  was  taken  as  could  be  to  fix  our  batteries,  which  took  up 
the  more  time  because  divers  of  the  battering  guns  were  on  shipboard." 

Tradition  says  the  site  of  one  battery  was  about  400  yards  to  the 
east  of  St.  Mary's  church-yard,  at  a  spot  called  Bevrack  Mount,  which 
has  been  recently  levelled.  The  place  now  goes  by  the  name  of 
Cromwell's  Mount.  The  position  of  the  battery  to  the  south  cannot 
be  traced.  Some  interruption  was  caused  from  time  to  time  by  sal- 
lies of  the  garrison,  in  which  a  few  men  were  slain  on  both  sides. 
Sir  Thomas  Armstrong,  at  the  head  of  200  men,  made  a  sortie  ;  "but 
they  were  so  well  entertained,  that  every  one  of  them  was  taken  pris- 
oner, except  Sir  Thomas,  who  escaped  by  the  goodness  of  his  horse." 
On  the  8th  of  September  Aston  reported  he  had  made  another  strong 
sally  with  both  horse  and  foot  on  the  enemy's  camp.  The  position 
of  the  town  was  ill  suited  to  sallies.  Besides  his  ammunition  was 
failing,  as  he  had  to  spend  four  barrels  every  day.  Provisions,  too, 
were  growing  short.  He  asked  Ormonde  "  to  attempt  an  assault  on 
the  greater  camp  speedily,  and  he  will,  if  he  have  notice,  beat  up  those 
upon  St.  John's  Hill." 

"  Upon  Monday,  the  9th  of  this  instant,  the  batteries  began  to  play  ;  where- 
upon I  sent  Sir  Arthur  Aston,  the  then  governor,  a  summons  to  deliver  the  town 
to  the  use  of  the  parliament  of  England  :  — 

1  Cromwell  always  looked  on  the  3d  of  Se]  tember  as  his  fortunate  day.  On  two  suc- 
cessive anniversaries  of  that  day  he  gained  the  victories  of  Dunbar  and  Worcester;  on  that 
day,  too,  he  died,  as  Waller  says  in  his  Panegyric  to  the  Lord  Protector :  — 

"In  storms  as  loud  as  his  immortal  fame," 
which  Godolphin  parodied  thus  :  — 

"  In  storms  as  loud  as  was  his  crying  sin." 
See  Timbs'  Curiosities  of  History,  p.  139;  London,  1862. 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  53 

"  Scpteviber  i  o///,  1 649. 
Sir, 

Having  brought  the  army  belonging  to  the  parliament  of  England  before  this 
place,  to  reduce  it  to  obedience,  to  the  end  effusion  of  blood  may  be  prevented,  I 
thought  fit  to  sunmion  you  to  deliver  the  same  into  my  hands  to  their  use.  If  this 
be  refused,  you  will  have  no  cause  to  blame  me.     I  expect  your  answer  and  rest, 

Your  servant, 

O.  Cromwell." 

"  To  the  which  receiving  no  satisfactory  an.swer,  I  proceeded  that  day  to  beat 
down  the  steeple  of  the  church  '  on  the  south  side  of  the  town,  and  to  beat  down 
the  tower ^  not  far  from  the  same  place,  which  you  will  discern  by  the  chart  en- 
closed." 

As  this  summons  was  disregarded,  he  immediately  took  down  the 
white  flag  which  hung  over  his  quarters,  and  put  out  a  red  ensign 
instead. 

"Our  guns'  not  been  able  to  do  much  that  day,  it  was  resolved  to  endeavor  to 
do  our  utmost  the  next  day  to  make  the  breaches  assaultable,  and,  by  the  help  of 
God,  to  storm  them.  The  place  pitched  upon  was  that  part  of  the  town-wall  near  a 
church  called  St.  Mary's  ;''  which  was  the  rather  chosen,  because  we  did  hope,  if  we 
did  enter  and  possess  that  church,  we  should  be  better  able  to  keep  it  against  their 
horse  and  foot,  until  we  could  make  way  for  the  entrance  of  our  horse  ;  and  we  did 
not  conceive  that  any  part  of  the  town  would  afford  the  like  advantage  for  that 
purpose  with  this." 

The  wall  bounded  a  part  of  the  church-yard  of  St.  Mary's.  It 
was  twenty  feet  high,  and  strengthened  with  towers,  and  pierced  with 
portholes.  It  seems  strange  that  this  spot,  which  was  most  difficult 
of  access  and  very  strongly  fprtificd,  should  have  been  the  first 
chosen  for  attack.  Towards  the  east  it  runs  along  the  brink  of  a  deep, 
precipitous  valley,  called  the  Dale,  through  which  a  stream  flows. 
On  the  south  the  approach  was  not  so  difficult,  but  the  wall  was  as 
high,  protected  by  towers  at  intervals,  and  strengthened  by  buttresses 
on  the  inside.  In  the  church-yard  there  are  still  the  remains  of  a 
regular  bastion  and  platform  for  cannon,  the  only  vestiges  of  modern 
fortifications    in    the    entire    circuit    of    the    town-wall.      Perhaps    he 

^  This  must  have  hceii  St.  Mary's,  as  it  was  tlie  only  church  on  that  side  of  the  river 
that  had  a  steeple. 

2  This  tower  stood  at  the  south-eastern  angle  of  the  wall,  and  was  then  a  modern  work 
compared  with  tht  rest  of  the  defences.  The  ruins  of  it  show  that  the  ancient  wall  was  de- 
molished, and  this  tower  and  a  bastion  erected  in  its  place.  It  was  built  on  an  arch,  and 
resembled  the  Magdalen  tower  in  shape.     In  1750  it  was  50  feet  high. 

8  Said  by  Aston  to  be  "  eight  pieces  of  battery,  the  least  whereof  shot  twelve  poimds, 
and  one  of  them  a  thirty-pounds"  bullet."  Letter  to  Ormonde  in  Aphor.  Disc,  vol.  ii.  p.  259, 
appendix  Ixi. 

■*  This  church,  originally  founded  by  the  citizens  of  Drogheda  for  the  Carmelite  Order, 
was  called  St.  Mary's  of  Mount  lai  niel.  Ii  stood  on  the  most  elevaied  part  of  the  southern 
division  of  Drogheda,  and  filled  the  southeastern  angle  of  the  town-wall  ;  its  defences  were 
formed  by  nature  and  are  exceedingly  strong.  D'Alton's  Hist,  of  Drogheda,  vol.  i.  j).  41. 
The  e.xtent  of  the  friary  may  be  judged  from  the  broken  walls  at  the  east  end  of  the  present 
building.  The  church  of  St.  Mary,  now  standing,  is  the  second  erected  on  the  spot  since 
Cromwell  demolished  the  original  one  ;  the  only  remains  of  which  are  the  walls  of  a  small 
vestry,  near  the  east  end  of  the  present  building,  and  the  foundations  of  an  old  tower  about 
150  feet  distant.  See  Wild's  Boyie  unci  Blachnhitir,  p.  30S  ;  and  The  Diihliti  Pcituy  Jour- 
nal,\o\.  i.  p.  2S4.  This  convent  should  not  be  confounded  with  St.  Mary's  de  Urso,  belong- 
ing to  the  Crouched  F'riars  of  St.  Austin,  on  the  Louth  side  of  the  river,  between  West 
Street  and  the  Boyne,  the  tower  and  church  walls  of  which  are  still  standing. 


54  CHOMWKLL   IN  IRELAND. 

chose  it  because,  if  once  taken,  it  afforded  a  more  secure  lodgment  for 
the  first  assailants  than  any  other  point  within  the  fortifications.^ 
The  besieged  had  planted  guns  on  the  summit  of  the  church-spire ; 
these  and  some  long  fowling-pieces  gave  great  annoyance  to  the 
assailants. 

"  The  batteries  planted  were  two  ;  one  was  for  that  part  of  the  wall  against  the 
west  end  of  the  said  church,  the  other  against  the  wall  on  the  south  side.  Being 
somewhat  long  in  battering,  the  enemy  made  six  retrenchments,  three  of  them  from 
the  said  church  to  Duleek  gate  ;  and  three  of  them  from  the  east  end  of  the  church 
to  the  town-wall,  and  s,o  backward.  The  guns,  after  some  two  or  three  hundred 
shot,  beat  down  the  corner  tower,  and  opened  two  reasonable  good  breaches  in  the 
east  and  south  wall. 

"  Upon  Tuesday,  the  loth  of  this  instant,  about  five  o'clock  in  the  evening,  we 
began  the  storm;-  and  after  some  hot  dispute  we  entered,  about  seven  or  eight 
hundred  men,  the  enemy  disputing  it  very  stifily  with  us.  And  indeed,  through  the 
advantages  of  the  place  and  the  courage  God  was  pleased  to  give  the  defenders, 
our  men  were  forced  to  retreat,  quite  out  of  breatli,  not  without  some  considerable 
loss  ;  Colonel  Castle,^  whose  regiment  was  one  of  those  that  stormed,  being  there 
shot  in  the  head,  whereof  lie  presently  died:  and  divers  officers  and  soldiers  doing 
theirTluty  killed  and  wounded.  There  was  a  tenalia''  to  flanker  the  south  wall  of 
the  town  between  Uuleek  gate  and  the  corner  tower  before  mentionetl,  which  our  men 
entered,  wherein  they  found  some  forty  or  fifty  of  the  enemy,  which  they  put  to  the 
sword;  and  this  tenalia  they  held  ;  but  it  being  without  the  wall,  and  the  sally-port 
through  the  wall  into  that  tenalia  being  choked  up  with  some  of  the  enemy  who  were 
killed  in  it,  proved  of  no  use  for  an  entrance  into  the  town  that  way.  Captain 
Brandly  did  with  forty  or  fifty  of  his  men  very  valiantly  storm  it,  for  which  he 
deserves  the  thanks  of  the  State. 

"Although  our  men  that  stormed  the  oreaches  were  forced  to  recoil,  as  is 
before  expressed,  yet,  being  encouraged  to  recover  their  loss,  they  made  a  second 
attempt,  whereni  God  was  pleased  so  to  animate  them,  that  they  got  ground  of  the 
enemy,  and,  by  the  goodness  of  God,  forced  him  to  quit  his  entrenchments.*     And, 

1  The  town-wall  at  this  point  is  still  in  the  ruinous  condition  to  which  Cromwell  re- 
duced it,  except  that  the  breach  on  the  eastern  side  has  been  partially  filled  up.  The  parapet 
on  that  side  is  completely  deuKjlished.  The  breach  on  the  soutit  side  has  been  greatly  en- 
larged ;  but  the  part  ot"  the  wall  still  standing  is  about  20  feet  high  and  6  feet  thick.  The 
range  of  buttresses,  connected  by  circular  arches  on  the  inner  side,  is  still  standing. 

*  Our  word  was,  "  For  Him  that  we  shall  find  with  us  in  Ireland,  as  well  as  we  ditl  in 
England,  our  Lord  God."  The  enemy's  word  was  "Ormonde."  Letter  from  Dublin,  in 
Crom~ocHii.\iui,  p.  64. 

^  He  is  called  by  Wright  and  others  Cossell.  Hist,  of  Ireland,  vol.  ii.  p.  77,  He  was 
sent  by  the  parliament  with  his  regiment  in  the  beginning  of  1547,  ^^  '-^^^  possession  of  the 
garrisons  surrendered  by  Ormonde.  On  the  Sth  of  April,  1652,  it  was  resolved  by  jjarlia- 
nient,  That  it  be  referred  to  tlie  Commissioners  of  parliament  now  in  Ireland,  to  take  pres- 
ent care  for  the  good  education  and  maintenance  of  the  two  children  of  Colonel  Castle 
deceased,  and  to  allow  for  that  purjjose,  out  of  the  revenue  of  Ireland,  such  sum  as  they 
shall  think  fit,  not  exceeding  the  sum  of  four  score  pounds  a  year,  and  to  settle  lands  of 
inheritance  of  the  value  of  one  hundred  pounds  a  year  of  the  lands  forfeited  to  the  Com- 
monwealth, at  the  common  value  the  same  lands  were  in  the  \  ear  1640,  upon  the  said 
children  and  their  heirs.  —  Henry  Scobell,  clerk  of  the  parliament.  MSS.  in  the  Library 
of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy. 

*  Tenalia,  now  called  tenaille,  by  engineers,  a  kind  of  advanced  defensive  work,  which 
takes  its  name  from  its  resemblance  to  the  lips  of  a  pair  of  pincers.  It  stood  in  the  orchard 
which  now  occupies  the  ground  from  the^outh-east  angle  of  the  wall  to  Duleek  Street;  there 
was  a  small,  arched  doorway  in  the  wall,  now  filled  up,  which  ])erhaps  was  the  sally-port 
mentioned  here.  These  tenalia  were  small  towers,  originally  placed  at  regular  distances 
round  the  town-wall.  Only  one  now  remains,  at  the  rear  of  the  Millmount.  Dublin  Penny 
Journal,  vol.  i.  p.  286. 

^  "The  besiegers  loaded  some  of  their  guns  with  bullets  of  a  half  a  pound,  and  fired 
on  the  enemy's  horse,  drawn  up  somewhat  in  view  ;  this  forced  them  to  retire.     The  foot, 


UROMWKLL  IN  IRKLAND.  55 

after  a  very  hot  dispute,  the  enemy  having  lost  l^oth  horse  and  foot,  and  we  only 
foot,  within  the  wall,  they  gave  ground,  and  our  men  became  masters  both  of  their 
retrenchments  and  of  the  church  ;  which,  indeed,  although  they  made  our  entrance 
more  difficult,  yet  they  ]iroved  of  excellent  use  to  us;  so  that  the  enemy  could  not 
now  annoy  us  with  their  horse;  but  thereby  we  had  advantage  to  make  good  the 
ground,  so  that  we  might  let  in  our  own  horse,  which  accordingly  was  done,  though 
with  much  difficult)-." 

Sonic  further  details  arc  given  by  Whitclocke  under  the  date 
October  ist,  taken  from  "  more  letters  of  the  particulars  of  the  taking 
of  Drogheda."  "That  the  breaches  not  being  made  low  enough,  the 
horse  could  not  go  in  with  the  foot,  but  the  foot  alone  stormed  and 
entered  the  town  ;  but  by  reason  of  the  numcrousness  and  stoutness 
of  the  enemy,  who  maintained  the  breach  as  gallantly  as  ever  men 
die],  and  by  the  death  of  Colonel  Castle,  whose  regiment  was  one  of 
those  that  stormed  (and  he  was  slain  at  the  storm),  our  men  were  dis- 
heartened and  retreated,  which  my  Lord  Lieutenant  seeing,  went 
himself  to  the  breach,^  and  after  a  little  time  a  fresh  reserve  of 
Colonel  Ewer's  men  fell  on  with  the  rest  very  courageously,  and 
God  abated  the  courage  ot  the  enemy  ;  they  fled  before  us  till  we 
gained  the  town,  and  they  all  agreed  in  the  not  giving  of  quarter." 
"The  garrison,"  says  Froude,  "fought  with  extreme  courage;  twice, 
after  forcing  their  way  into  the  town,  the  storming  parties  were 
beaten  back  through  the  breach.  The  third  time,  as  the  light  was 
waning,  Cromwell  led  them  in  person,  forced  Aston  back  upon  his 
inner  lines,  stormed  these  lines  in  turn,  and  before  night  was  master 
of  the  town."  Colonel  Wall  who  commanded  the  regiment  stationed 
nearest  to  the  trenches,  was  killed  by  a  shot  in  the  breast  ;  his  men 
became  confused  and  dispirited  by  the  loss  of  their  leader. 

Then  it  was,  probably,  that  quarter  was  offered  and  accepted. 
"All  the  officers  and  soldiers,"  says  Ormonde,  "promised  quarter  to 
such  as  would  lay  down  their  arms,  and  ^^crformed  it  as  long  as  any 
place  held  out  ;  which  encouraged  others  to  yield.  But  when  they 
had  once  all  in  their  power  and  feared  no  hurt  that  could  be  done 
them,  then  the  word  'no  quarter'  went  round,  and  the  soldiers  were 
forced,  many  of  them  against  their  wills,  to  kill  the  prisoners."  A 
contemporary  author  says  Cromwell  could  not  take  the  town  until  its 
defenders  had  received  the  promise  of  their  lives  from  some  persons 
of  high  rank  in  his  army.^  As  soon  as  the  town  was  in  the  assailant's 
power,  Jones,  the  governor  of  Dublin,  who  was  second  in  command, 
told  Cromwell  that  now  he  had  the  flower  of  the  Irish  army  in  his 
hands,  and  could  deal  with  them  as  he  pleased.  He  then  issued  an 
order  that  the  life  of  neither  man,  woman,  nor  child  should  be  spared  ; 


deprived  of  their  support,  began  to  break  and  shift  for  themselves,  when  charged  a  second 
lime."     Ia\(^\o\\'s  AIe7/ioirs,  \^.  ii6. 

'  The  Sword  worn  by  Cromwell  at  Drogheda  is  preserved  in  the  United  Service  Mu- 
seum, London..     Marniion's  Maritime  Ports  of  Ireland,  p.  256;  London,  1S58. 

^  Cambrensis  Eversns,  vol.  iii.  p.  187  ;  Dublin,  1851.  Ludlow  says,  positive  orders 
had  been  given  by  Cromwell  to  give  no  quarter  to  any  soldier.  Afetnoirs,  p.  117.  "All 
conclude  that  no  man  had  quarter  with  Cromwell's  leave."  Letter  of  Inchuiuiii  to  Ormonde, 
Sein.  15th,  1649;  '"  Aphor.  Disr.,  vol.  ii.  preface  xxviii.  In  November,  1649,  the  Irish, 
under  Inchiquin,  laid  siege  to  Carric-on-Suir.  then  held  by  Col.  Revnolds.  and  used  to  cry 
at  the  walls,  that  they  would  soon  give  them  "  Tredagh  quarter.''     Crom.  Sett.,  p.  189. 


56  CROMWKLL   I.V  IRELAyu. 


and  when  one  of  his  officers  pleaded  for  mercy  for  the  unresisting 
victims,  "he  would  sacrifice  their  souls,"  he  said,  "to  theghosts  of  the 
English  whom  they  had  massacred." 

And  thus  a  body  of  3,000  men  was  totally  destroyed  and  massa- 
cred,^ with  which,  in  respect  of  experience  and  courage,  the  Marquis 
would  have  been  glad  to  have  found  himself  engaged  in  the  field  with 
an  enemy  though  upon  some  disadvantage. 

"Divers  of  the  enemy,"  continues  Cromwell,  "retreated  to  the  Millmount,' 
a  place  very  strong  and  of  difficult  access,  being  exceeding  high,  having  a  good  graft, 
and  strongly  palisadoed.  The  Governor,  Sir  Arthur  Aston,  and  divers  considerable 
officers  being  there,  our  men  getting  up  to  them,  were  ordered  by  me  to  put  them  all 
to  the  sword.  And,  indeed,  being  in  the  heat  of  action,  I  forbade  them  to  spare  any 
that  were  in  arms  in  the  town;  and  I  think  that  night  they  put  to  the  sword  about 
2,Qoo  men." 

It  was  manned  with  250  of  the  best  men  ;  when  they  saw  their 
companions  retreat,  they  were  so  disheartened  that  they  thought  it 
useless  to  make  further  resistance.  "  Lieutenant-Colonel  Axtell  of 
Colonel  Hewson's  regiment,  with  some  twelve  of  his  men,  went  to  the 
top  of  the  Mount  and  demanded  of  the  Governor  the  surrender  of  it, 
who  was  very  stubborn,  speaking  high  word^  ;  but  at  length  was 
persuaded  to  go  into  the  windmill  at  the  top  of  the  Mount,  and  many 
of  the  chiefest  as  it  could  contain,  where  they  were  disarmed  and 
afterwards  slain." 

Sir  Arthur  Aston  was  among  the  first  who  fell  ;  he  was  killed 
"after  quarter  given  by  the  officer  who  first  came  there."  "A  great 
dispute  there  was,"  says  Ludlow  in  his  Meuwirs,^  "among  the  soldiers 
for  his  artificial  leg,  which  was  reputed  to  be  of  gold  ;  but  it  proved  to  be 
but  of  wood,  his  girdle  being  found  to  be  better  booty,  wherein  200 
pieces  of  gold  were  found  quilted."  A.  Wood  says  he  was  believed  to 
have  hid  away  his  gold  for  security  in  his  wooden  leg.  This  they 
seized  upon  as  a  prize  when  he  fell  ;  but  finding  nothing  in  it,  they 
knocked  out  his  brains  with  it  and  hacked  his  body  to  pieces.  Sir 
Edward  Verney,  Colonels  Warren,  Fleming,  Boyle,  and  Byrne,  were 
slain  in  cold  blood.* 


^  Dr.  F'Jeming,  archbishop  of  DubMn,  in  a  letter  to  the  Propaganda,  dated  June  6th, 
1650,  sets  down  the  ninnber  of  the  slain  at  4,000.  See  Sp'uil.  Ossor.,  vol.  i.  p.  340.  Belling 
says  that  number  of  Catholic  soldiers  and  citizens  was  killed.  VindiciiE,  &^c.,  p.  210.  Bate 
gives  the  same  number.  A/'hor.'  Disc,  vol.  ii.  p.  275,  appendix  Ixxiv.  See  also  Castle- 
haven's  Manoirs,  p.  1 14.  The  official  list  brings  the  numbers  of  officers  and  soldiers  killed 
up  to  nearly  3,000. 

-  The  Millmount  is  close  to  the  S.  W.  angle  of  the  town-wall.  It  is  an  artificial  mound, 
said  to  have  been  erected  over  the  grave  of  the  'I'uatha  dc  Danaan  chief  Colpa,  who  was 
drowned  at  the  mouth  of  the  lioyne,  or  over  the  wife  of  Goban  the  smith.  See  Wilde's 
Boyiie  and  Bhulnuater,  ])p.  180  and  202.  It  has  its  present  name  from  a  windmill  which  was 
on  its  summit.  It  formerly  belonged  to  a  family  named  Delahoyde  ;  they  were  said  to  liave 
received  a  grant  of  it  finm  Cromwell  in  return  for  having  supplied  him  with  corn  during 
the  seige.  D' Alton's  Iltst.  of  Drc;^^lu'da,  vol.  ii.  p.  2S0.  The  hill  is  now  occupied  by  a  niar- 
tello  tower  ;  it  is  connected  by  a  causeway  with  a  hij^h  bank  rising  abruptly  from  the  l!oyne, 
on  which  barracks  for  infantry  and  a  hospital   have  been  erected. 

^  p.  117,  Clarendon  says  he  was  given  to  such  an  immoderate  love  of  money,  that  he 
cared  not  by  what  unrighteous  ways  he  exacted  it.     Hist,  of  the  Rebellion,  vol.  ii.  p.  527. 

*  "Verney,  Fingla's,  Warren,  and  some  other  officers  were  alive  in  the  hands  of  Crom- 
well's officers  twenty-four  hours  after  the  business  was  done."  Inchiquin  to  Ormonde,  ut 
siiprit. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  57 

As  every  part  of  the  town  was  commanded  from  the  Millmount, 
further  resistance  was  hoi)eless.  The  assailants  in  full  force  passed 
through  the  two  breaches,  crossed  the  bridge,  and  were  soon  in  pos- 
session of  the  whole  of  the  north  side.  There  the  work  of  slaughter 
was  continued. 

"  Then  our  horse  and  foot  followed  them  so  fast  over  the  bridge,  which  goes 
over  abroad  river;  and  being  very  long,  and  houses  on  both  sides,  yet  they  had  not 
time  to  pull  up  their  drawbridge,  and  our  men  fell  violently  upon  thcni,  and  I  believe 
there  was  2,000  of  them  put  to  the  sword." 

The  following  is  the  official  list  of  the  principal  officers  slain  at 
Drogheda : 

Sir  Arthur  Aston,  governor  ;  Sir  Edmund  Verney,^  lieutenant- 
colonel  to  the. Lord  of  Ormonde. 

Of  the  horse  commanded  by  Major  Butler :  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Finglas,  Captain  Plunket,  the  Lord  of  Desme's  (Dempsey's)  son,  and 
Colonel  Pleming  slain. ^ 

Of  I-'oot  :  Colonel  Warren,  Colonel  Wall,  Captain  Butler,  Major 
Tempest,  Major  Fitzgerald,  Major  Wilkins,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gray, 
—  Stevens,  Captain-Lieutenant  Street,  Captains  Cooley  and  Bagnall  ; 
Colonel  Byrne,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Boyle, ^  Major  Doudle,  Captains 
Croker,  Beuss,  Fisher,  Geffess,  ]iirn.s.  In  all,  44  captains,  all  their 
lieutenants  and  ensigns,  220  reformadoes^  and  troopers,  and  2,500  foot 
soldiers.^ 

Such  was  the  fate  of  those  who  had  surrendered  because  quarter 
had  been  promised  them.  There  were  others  who  put  no  faith  in 
these  promises,  and,  knowing  the  certain  death  that  awaited  them, 
resolved  to  sell  their  lives  as  dearly  as  possible. 

"  Divers  of  the  officers  and  soldiers  being  fled  over  the  bridge  Into  the  other 
part  of  the  town,  where  about  a  hundred  of  them  possessed  St.  Peter's  church- 
steeple,"  some  of  the  West  gate,  others  a  strong  round  tower  '  next  the  gate  called 
St.  Sunday's.  These  being  summoned  to  yield  to  mercy,  refused,  whereupon  I 
ordered  the  steeple  of  the  St.  Peter's  churcli  to  be  fired,  when  one  of  tiiem  was  heard 
•to  say  in  the  midst  of  the  /lames,  '  God  damn  me.  Cod  confound  me,  I  burn,  I  burn.'  " 

^  The  son  of  the  King's  standard  bearer  who  fell  at  Edgehill. 

'  Colonel  Fleming  was  the  nephew  of  Dr.  Fleming,  Archbishop  of  Dublin. 

2  Lieutenant-Color.el  Richard  Boyle  was  son  of  Richard  Boyle,  Protestant  Archbishop 
of  Tuam,  a  relative  of  the  Earl  of  Cork  ;  his  brother  Michael,  who  was  later  Archbishop  o( 
Armagh,  was  chapjain-gencal  to  the  King's  army  in' Minister,  during  the  rebellion.  See 
Records  0/  Cork,  Cloyne,  anJ  Ross,  by  the  Rev.  l\!aziere  Brady,  vol.  iii.  p.  91  ;  Dublin,  1S64. 

*  Reform.-ido,  according  to  Webster,  an  obsolete  word,  was  an  officer,  who  for  some  dis- 
grace was  deprived  of  his  command,  but  retained  his  rank,  and  perhaps  his  pay. 

5  'I"he  above  list  of  officers  who  were  slain,  is  taken  from  the  Perfect  Diurnal  of  Octo- 
ber 2d,  1649. 

6  In  154S,  the  steeple  of  this  church,  then  said  to  be  one  of  the  highest  in  the  world, 
was  thrown  down  by  a  violent  tempest.  It  was  rejilaced  by  one  of  wood.  D" Alton's  Hi^t. 
of  Drogheda,  vol.  i.  p.  19.  It  had  several  chajicls  and  oratories,  erected  l>y  the  piety  of  the 
inhal.iitanls  of  the  town.  In  17.(0,  the  old  church  was  removed,  and  the  present  one  erected 
on  the  same  site. 

■^  This  tower  stood  to  the  east  of  the  Sunday  gate,  not  on  the  town  wall,  but  a  little 
detached  from  it  ;  perhaps  it  was  one  of  the  Irish  round  towers.  Dublin  Penny  Jour7iaL 
vol.  i.  p.  286. 


58  CROMWELL  IN-  IRELAND. 


His  first  intention  was  to  blow  it  up,  and  for  the  purpose  he  had 
put  a  quantity  of  powder  in  the  subterranean  passage ;  but  changing 
his  plan,  he  set  fire  to  the  steeple.  Those  who  rushed  out  to  avoid  the 
flames  were  slaughtered.  Only  one  person  escaped  ;  he  leaped  from 
the  tower,  and  received  no  other  hurt  than  a  broken  leg.  He  had 
quarter  given  him  by  the  soldiers  "for  the  extraordinariness  of  the 
thing."  1 

The  street  leading  to  St.  Peter's  church  retained,  even  within 
the  memory  of  the  present  generation  the  name  of  "  Bloody  Street ;  " 
it  is  the  tradition  of  the  place  that  the  blood  of  those  slain  in  the 
church  formed  a  regular  torrent  in  this  street. 

"  The  next  day  the  two  other  towers  ^  were  summoned,  in  one  of  which  was 
about  six  or  seven  score,  but  they  refused  to  yield  themselves,  and  we  knowing  that 
hunger  must  compel  them,  set  only  good  guards  to  secure  them  from  running  away 
until  their  stomachs  were  come  down.  From  one  of  the  said  towers,  notwithstand- 
ing their  condition,  they  killed  and  wounded  some  of  our  men.  When  they  sub- 
mitted, their  officers  were  knocked  on  the  head,  and  every  tenth  man  of  the  soldiers 
killed,  and  the  rest  shipped  for  the  Barbadoes.  The  soldiers  in  the  other  tower  were 
all  spared  (as  to  their  lives  only),  and  shipped  likewise  for  the  Barbadoes." 

Three  or  four  oflEicers  of  name  and  good  families,  who  had  found 
some  way,  by  the  humanity  of  some  soldiers  of  the  enemy,  to  conceal 
themselves  for  four  or  five  days,  being  afterwards  discovered,  were 
butchered  in  cold  blood.  Captain  Teige  O'Connor,  who  was  left 
among  the  dead,  at  night  returned  to  his  home,  and  afterwards 
recovered.  Garrett,  Dungan,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Cavenagh  also 
escaped.  Cromwell  saved  Dr.  Bernard,  dean  of  Kilmore  and  Ussher's 
chaplain,  and  afterwards  made  him  his  almoner. 

Excej^t  these  and  some  few  others  who  during  the  assault  escaped 
at  the  other  side  of  the  town,  and  others  who,  mingling  with  the 
rebels  as  their  own  men,  disguised  themselves  so  as  not  to  be 
discovered,  there  was  not  an  officer,  soldier,  or  religious  person 
belonging  to  that  garrison  left  alive,  and  all  this  within  the  space  of 
nine  days  after  the  enemy  appeared  before  the  walls. 

1  Bate's  Elcnchiis,  &c.,  vol.  ii.  \>.  25.  l>ate  was  Cromwell's  jiliysician.  He  got  in  with 
the  Royalists  at  the  Restoration,  by  his  friends'  report  that  by  a  close  given  to  Oliver  he  had 
hastened  him  to  his  end.  He  was  made  chief  physician  to  Cnarles  II,  and  a  member  of  the 
Royal  Society.     Alhen.  Oxon.,  vol.  ill.  col.  827;  London,  1S17. 

2  Bolton  Tower  and  West  Tower. 


CPOMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  59 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

-"HE    SIEGE    AND    CAPTURE    OF    DROGHEDA    (continued). 

A.  Wood's  Account  of  the  Massacre — Letter  of  Cromwell  —  Death  of  F.  Taaffe,  O.  S.  A. 
and  of  FF.  Bathe  and  Netterville,  S.  J.  —  Loss  of  the  Assailants  —  Peters'  Letter 
—  Thanksgiving — Hopes  of  tlie  Royalists  —  Surrender  of  Dundalk  —  Cromwell 
wounded  —  Surrender  of  Trim  —  Ormonde's  Movements. 

One  of  the  English  soldiers  who  was  present  at  the  siege  and 
took  part  in  the  assault,  was  Thomas,  eldest  brother  of  Anthony  a 
Wood,  tlic  well-known  historian  of  Oxford.  He  was  a  Captain  in 
Colonel  Ingoldsby's  troop.  The  vivid  description  given  by  him  of  the 
manner  in  which  the  Puritans  carried  on  the  war  furnishes  an  excellent 
commentary  on  the  language  of  Cromwell.  "  tie  returned,"  says 
Anthony,  "from  Ireland  to  Oxford  for  a  time  to  take  up  the  arrears 
of  his  studentship  at  Christ  Church.  It  was  the  winter  after  the 
siege.  At  which  time,  being  often  with  his  mother  and  brethren,  he 
would  tell  them  of  the  most  terrible  assaulting  and  storming 
of  Drogheda,  wherein  he  himself  had  been  engaged.  He  told 
them  that  three  thousand  at  least,  besides  some  women  and  chil- 
dren, were,  after  the  assailants  had  taken  part,  and  afterwards  all, 
the  town,  put  to  the  sword,  on  the  i  ith  and  12th  of  September,  1649. 
At  which  time  Sir  Arthur  Aston,  the  governor,  had  his  brains  beat 
out  and  his  body  hacked  to  pieces.  He  told  them  that  when  the 
soldiers  were  to  make  their  way  up  to  the  lofts  and  galleries  in  the 
church,  and  up  to  the  tower  where  the  enemy  had  fled,  each  of  the 
assailants  would  take  up  a  child,  and  use  it  as  a  buckler  of  defence 
when  they  ascended  the  stc]:)!^,  to  keep  themselves  from  being  shot  or 
brained.  After  they  had  killed  all  in  the  church,  they  went  into  the 
vaults  underneath,  where  all  the  flower  and  choicest  of  the  women 
and  ladies  had  hid  themselves.  One  of  these,  a  most  handsome  vir- 
gin, arrayed  in  costly  and  gorgeous  apparel,  kneeled  down  to  Thomas 
a  Wood,  with  tears  and  prayers,  to  save  her  life  ;  and  being  struck 
with  a  profound  pity,  he  took  her  under  his  arm,  and  went  with  her 
out  of  the  church,  intending  to  put  her  over  the  works  to  shift  for 
herself.  But  a  soldier,  perceiving  his  intentions,  ran  his  sword  through 
her  body.  Whereupon  a  Wood,  seeing  her  gasping,  took  away  her 
money  and  jewels,  and  flung  her  down  over  the  works."  Mr.  Froude 
has  been  unlucky  that  he  did  not  fall  in  with  this  detailed  account 
given  by  one  "who  was  himself  engaged  in  the  storm."  It  proves  his 
assertion  to  be  wholly  false,  that  there  is  no  evidence  from   an  eye- 


CO  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


witness  that  women  and  children  were  killed  otherwise  than  accident- 
ally. ^ 

"  It  is  remarkable,"  says  Cromwell,  "  that  these  people,  at  the  first,  set  up  the 
Mass  in  some  places  of  the  town  that  had  been  monasteries,  and  afterwards  grew 
so  insolent,  that  the  last  Lord's  day  before  the  storm,  the  Protestants  were  thrust 
out  of  the  great  church  called  St.  Peter's,  and  they  had  public  Mass  there,*  and  in 
this  very  place  near  i,qoo  of  them  were  put  to  the  sword,  fleeing  thither  for  safety." 

The  sight  of  the  ruin  which  surroimaea  nim  does  not  seem  to 
have  wrought  any  comuunction  in  his  soul  : 

"  I  am  persuaded,"  he  says,  "  that  this  is  a  righteous  judgment  of  God  upon 
these  barbarous  wretches,  who  have  imbrued  their  hands  in  so  much  innocent  blood, 
and  that  it  will  tend  to  prevent  the  effusion  of  blood  for  the  future,  which  are  the 
satisfactory  grounds  of  such  actions,  which  otherwise  cannot  but  work  remorse  and 
regret.  The  officers  and  soldiers  of  this  garrison  were  the  flower  of  their  army. 
And  their  great  expectation  was,  that  our  attempting  this  place  would  put  fair  to 
ruin  us,  they  being  confident  of  the  resolution  of  their  men  and  the  advantage  of 
the  place  ;  if  we  had  divided  our  force  into  two  quarters,  to  have  besieged  the  north 
town  and  the  south  town,  we  could  not  have  had  such  a  correspondency  between 
the  two  parts  of  our  army,  but  that  they  might  have  chosen  to  have  brought  their 
army  and  have  fought  with  what  part  they  pleased,  and  at  this  same  time  have  made 
a  sally  with  2,000  men  upon  us,  and  have  left  their  walls  manned,  they  having  in  the 
town  the  number  hereinafter  specified,  some  say  near  4,000. 

"  And  now  give  me  leave  to  say  how  it  comes  to  pass  that  this  work  was 
wrought.  It  was  set  up  in  some  of  our  hearts  that  a  great  thing  should  be  done, 
not  by  power  or  might,  but  by  the  spirit  of  God.  And  is  it  not  so,  clearly  .''  That 
which  caused  your  men  to  storm  so  courageously,  it  was  the  spirit  of  God,  who  gave 
your  men  courage  and  took  it  away  again  ;  and  gave  the  enemy  courage  and  took 
it  away  again;  and  gave  your  men  courage  again,  and  therewith  this  happy  success. 
And  therefore  it  is  good  that  God  alone  have  all  the  glory  !  " 

And  writing  to  the  President  of  the  Council  of  State,  he  says  : 

"  This  hath  been  a  marvellous  great  mercy.  ...  I  wish  that  all  honest  hearts 
may  give  the  glory  to  God  alone,  to  whom,  indeed,  the  praise  of  this  mercy  be- 
longs." 

What  the  fate  of  the  ecclesiastics  was  who  were  found  within  the 
walls,  it  is  not  hard  to  conjecture. 

■  "  I  believe  all  the  friars  were  knocked  oij  the  head  promiscuously  but  two; 
the  one  was  Father  Peter  Taaffe,  brother  to  Lord  Taaffe,  whom  the  soldiers  took  the 
next  day  and  made  an  end   of.^     The  other  was  taken  in  the  round  tower,  under 

1  "  It  is  possible  that  in  s-uch  a  scene  women  and  children  may  have  been  accident- 
ally killed  ;  but  there  is  ud  evidence  of  it  from  an  eye-witness,  and  only  general  rumors  and 
reports  at  second  hand."      7Vtt!  Eiit^lish  in  Ireland,  vol.  i.  p.  124. 

2  "  One  thing  is  very  remarkable  and  ouglit  nut  to  be  omitted,  and  that  is,  that  though 
there  were  several  Proteslanls  in  the  town,  yet  were  the  Papist  soldiers  so  insolent  and  so 
unjust  to  their  Protestant  conijianions,  even  in  the  midst  of  their  adversity,  that  on  Sunday, 
the  8th  of  September,  they  thrust  tlie  Protestants  out  of  St.  Peter's  church,  and  publicly 
celebrated  Mass  there,  though  they  had  monasteries  and  other  convenient  places  besides 
for  that  purpose."     Cox's  Hib.  Angl.,  Keign  of  Charles  II.,  p.  8. 

^  This  was  Peter,  a  prior  of  the  Order  of  St.  Austin,  sixth  son  of  Sir  John  Taaffe,  who 
was  made  Baron  of  Ballymote  and  Viscount  Taaffe  of  Corren,  by  patent  bearing  date  Au- 
gust ist,  1628,  for  services  rendered  to  the  English  against  (J'Donnell,  and  brother  of 
Major-General  Lucas  'i'aaffe,  governor  of  Ross,  of  whom  more  hereafter.  Anhdall's  Ptcr- 
nxi',  vol.  iv.  p.  293.  liruodin  i-ays  lie  was  tempted  by  Cromwell  to  renounce  his  faith,  but 
refused.     JVo/.  I'id.  Cath.  p.  719. 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  Gl 

the  repute  of  a  lieutenant ;  and  when  he  understood  tliat  the  officers  in  that  tower 
had  no  ([uarter,  he  confessed  lie  was  a  friar,  but  that  did  not  save  him." 

A  manuscript  history  of  these  events,  written  at  the  time  by  one 
of  the  Jesuit  Fathers  employed  on  the  Irish  mission,  and  preserved 
in  the  archives  of  the  Irish  College  at  Rome,  gives  some  further 
details  of  the  cruelty  exercised  towards  the  priests  that  were  seized. 

"When  the  city  was  captured  by  the  heretics,  the  blood  of  the 
Catholics  was  mercilessly  shed  in  the  streets,  in  the  dwelling-houses, 
and  in  the  open  fields  ;  to  none  was  mercy  shown  ;  not  to  the  women, 
nor  to  the  aged,  nor  to  the  young.  The  property  of  the  citizens 
became  the  prey  of  the  parliamentary  troops.  Everything  in  our 
residence  was  plundered  :  the  library,  the  sacred  chalices,  of  which 
there  were  many  of  great  value,  as  well  as  all  the  furniture,  sacred 
and  profane,  were  destroyed.  On  the  following  day,  when  the  sol- 
diers were  searching  through  the  ruins  of  the  city,  they  discovered  one 
of  our  P^athers,  named  John  Bathe, ^  with  his  brother,  a  secular  priest. 
Suspecting  they  were  religious,  they  examined  them,  and  finding  that 
they  were  priests,  and  one  of  them,  moreover,  a  Jesuit,  they  led  them 
off  in  triumph,  and,  accompanied  by  a  tumultuous  crowd,  conducted 
them  to  the  market-place,  and  there,  as  if  they  were  at  length  extin- 
guishing the  Catholic  religion  and  our  Society,  they  tied  them  both 
to  stakes  fixed  in  the  ground,  and  pierced  their  bodies  with  shots  till 
they  expired.  Father  Robert  Netterville,^  far  advanced  in  years,  was 
confined  to  bed  by  his  infirmities  ;  he  was  dragged  thence  by  the 
soldiers,  and  trailed  along  the  ground,  being  violently  knocked  against 
each  obstacle  that  presented  itself  on  the  way  ;  then  he  was  beaten 
with  clubs  ;  and  when  many  of  his  bones  were  broken,  he  was  cast 
out  on  the  highway.  Some  good  Catholics  came  during  the  night, 
bore  him  away,  and  hid  him  somewhere.  Four  days  after,  having 
fought  the  good  fight,  he  departed  this  life,  to  receive,  as  we  hope, 
the  martyr's  crown."  ^ 

Two  Fathers  of  the  Dominican  Order,  Dominick  Dillon,  prior  of 
the  convent  of  Urlar,  who  had  been  appointed  chaplain  to  the  Con- 
federate army  by  the  Nuncio  Rinuccini,  and  Richard  Oveton,  prior  of 
the  convent  of  Athy,  were  seized  and  taken  outside  the  walls  of  the 
Puritan  camp.     There,  in  the  presence  of  the  whole  army,  they  were 

1  Father  Tiatlie  entered  the  College  of  Seville  in  1630,  and  returned  to  Ireland  in  1638, 
where  he  was  employed  in  missionary  work  up  to  his  death.  Ecclesiastical  Record,  vol.  ix. 
p.  219  ;  Dublin,  1873.  He  was  probably  a  native  of  Drogheda.  The  family  mansion  of  the 
ISatiics  occujjied  the  angle  formed  by  the  junction  of  Laurence  Street  and  Ship  Street,  the 
princii^al  front  being  towards  the  latter.  A  print  of  it  is  given  in  the  Dublin  renny  Journal, 
vol.  i.  [).  1 89.  It  was  pulled  down  in  1824.  Athcarne  castle  also  belonged  to  the  family. 
D' Alton's  Hist,  of  Drogheda,  vol.  i.  p.  104. 

-  In  Oliver's  Collectanea  S.  J-,  Exeter,  1830,  F.  Netterville  is  said  to  have  been  put  to 
death  June  15th,  and  F.  Bathe  August  i6th,  both  when  Drogheda  was  taken  by  the  heretics. 
The  MSS.  History  of  Seville  College  gives  the  date  of  F.  Bathe's  death  as  August  i6th. 
Eccls.  Record,  ui  supra.  This  difference  of  dates,  taken  with  the  fact  that  such  cruelties 
could  not  well  have  taken  place  when  the  Royalists  captured  the  town  in  June,  goes  to  show 
that  both  were  put  to  death  by  Cromwell's  soldiers. 

•''  MSS.  in  the  Arundel  Library,  Stonyhurst.  See,  also,  F.  M.  Tanner's  So.ictas  Jesu 
usque  ad  sanguinem  pro  Cliristo  militans ;  Prague,  1675,  ''"'^  Broudin's  Propugnaculutn,  &c., 
p.  697. 


62  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 

put  to  death  through  hatred  of  their  religious  calling  and  of  the  Cath- 
olic faith. 

The  massacre  continued  for  five  whole  days  in  succession. 
"During  all  that  time,"  says  Clarendon,  "the  whole  army  executed 
all  manner  of  cruelty,  and  put  every  man  that  belonged  to  the  garri- 
son, and  all  the  citizens  who  were  Irish,  man,  woman,  and  child,  to 
the  sword."  Well  might  Ormonde  say,  that  on  "this  occasion  Crom- 
well exceeded  himself  and  anything  he  had  ever  heard  of  in  breach 
of  faith  and  bloody  inhumanity  ;  and  that  the  cruelties  exercised  there 
for  five  days  after  the  town  was  taken,  would  make  as  many  several 
pictures  of  inhumanity  as  are  to  be  found  in  T/ie  Bool'  of  Martyrs 
or  in  The  Relation  of  Ainboyiiar 

Ludlow  calls  it  an  "extraordinary  severity."  Of  the  inhabitants 
only  thirty  survived,  and  these  by  a  dubious  mercy  were  shipped  to 
^he  West  Indies,  and  sold  as  slaves  to  the  planters.  Richard  Talbot, 
who  was  later  the  famous  Duke  of  Tyrconnell,  was  at  Drogheda  when 
the  town  was  taken.  The  sights  he  witnessed,  though  he  was  but  a 
child  at  the  time,  made  a  lasting  impression  on  his  mind,  and  inspired 
him  with  a  horror  of  the  Puritans  all  his  life  long.  According  to  a 
tradition  still  current  in  Drogheda,  the  slaughter  was  stayed  by  a 
touching  incident  which  aroused  the  lingering  spark  of  humanity  in 
Cromwell's  breast.  Walking  through  the  streets,  he  noticed,  stretched 
in  the  pathway,  the  dead  body  of  a  newly-made  mother,  from  whose 
breast  her  miserable  infant  was  striving  to  draw  sustenance. 

The  number  of  those  who  fell  in  the  assault  was  very  small,  if 
we  believe  Cromwell's  statement  — 

"  A  great  deal  of  the  loss  in  this  business  fell  upon  Colonel  Hewson's,  Colonel 
Castle's,  and  Colonel  Ewer's  regiments  ;  Colonel  Ewer  having  two  field-officers  of 
his  regiment  shot,  Colonel  Castle  and  a  captain  of  his  regiment  slain  ;  Colonel  Hew- 
son's captain-lieutenant  slain.  I  do  not  think  we  lost  loo  men  upon  this  place, 
though  many  were  wounded.' 

"  I  humbly  pray  the  parliament  may  be  pleased  that  the  army  may  be  main- 
tained, and  that  a  consideration  may  be  had  of  them  and  of  the  carrying  on  affairs 
here,  as  may  give  a  speedy  issue  to  this  work,  to  which  there  seems  to  be  a  mar- 
vellous fair  opportunity  offered  by  God.  And  although  it  may  seem  very  chargeable 
to  the  state  of  England  to  maintain  so  great  a  force,  yet  surely  to  stretch  a  little  for 
the  present  in  following  God's  providence,  in  the  hope  the  charge  will  not  be  long, 
I  trust  it  will  not  be  thought  by  any  unfit  for  me  to  move  for  a  constant  sup})ly, 
•which,  in  human  probability  as  to  outward  things,  is  most  likely  to  hasten  and  per- 
fect this  work;  and  indeed,  if  God  please  to  finish  it  here  as  Me  hath  done  in  J'^ng- 
land,  the  war  is  likely  to  pay  itself. 

"  We  keep  the  field  much,  our  tents  sheltering  us  from  the  wet  and  cold;  but 
yet  the  country  sickness'''  overtakes   many,  and   therefore  we   desire   recruits  and 

1  In  another  letter  he  gives  the  number  killed  as  20  or  30  ;  of  wounded  as  40.  Crom- 
■welliana,  p.  64. 

■^  The  country  disease  or  country  sickness,  of  which  Cromwell  so  often  complains,  was 
a  kind  of  dysentery,  "  reigning  in  no  country  so  e|)idemically  as  in  this  kingdom,  not  sparing 
natives  more  than  strangers."  See  Dineley's  Tour  in  Ireland,  in  Kilk.  Arch,  jfoiirnal  for 
1S56,  p.  17S.  "Against  this  disease,"  says  Peter  Lombard,  "  they  employ  a  remedy,  which 
is  common  and  easy  to  be  had,  as  is  well  known,  viz.,  a  certain  most  excellent  liquor,  which 
they  call  usquebagh,  so  well  nii.xcd  tliat  it  has  the  power  of  drying  up,  and  docs  not  inflame, 
like  that  which  is  made  in  foreign  countries."  De  Ilibernia  Iiisuhi  Siinctortnn,  p.  3S  ;  Dublin, 
186S.  "They  use,  to  aid  digestion,  a  certain  liery  draught  commonly  called  usquebagh," 
Sian\h\XTSi's  De  A'ebus  Iliberitiu:,  p.  38;  Antwerp,  1584. 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  63 

f;f)inc   fresh  regiments  of   foot    may  be  sent  us.      For  it  is  easily  conceived  by  wliat 
tiic  garrisons  already  drink   up,  what  our  field  army  will  come  to  if  God  shall  give 
more  garrisons  into  our  hands.     Craving  pardon  for  this  great  trouble, 
"  I  rest, 

"Your  most  obedient  servant, 

"  Oliver  Cromwell." 

Peters'  letter,  written  from  Dublin  on  the  15th  September,  and 
received  by  the  House  on  the  26th,  was  more  laconic  — 

"The  truth  is,  Droghcda  is  taken.  3,552  of  the  enemy  slain,  and  64  of  our<? ; 
Colonel  Castle  and  Colonel  Symonds  of  note.  Aston,  the  governor,  killed  —  none 
spared.  We  have  also  Trim  and  Dundalk,  and  are  marching  to  Kilkenny.  I  came 
now  from  giving  thanks  in  the  great  church.     We  have  all  our  army  well  landed." 

On  the  receipt  of  these  letters,  October  2d,  the  parliament  or- 
dered :  1°,  that  a  letter  of  thanks  should  be  sent  to  the  Lord  Lieu- 
tenant of  Ireland  and  communicated  to  the  officers  there,  taking 
notice  tliat  the  House  doth  approve  of  the  execution  done  at  Droglieda, 
as  an  act  both  of  justice  to  them  and  mercy  to  others  who  maybe 
warned  by  it  ;  and  that  the  Council  of  State  prepare  a  letter  to  be 
signed  by  the  Speaker  ;  2"^,  that  it  having  pleased  God  to  bless  the 
endeavors  of  the  forces  of  the  Commonwealth  against  the  Irish  rebels 
and  their  adherents  at  Drogheda,  v/hich  was  taken  by  storm,  there 
being  in  it  a  strong  garrison  of  Ormonde's  army,  and  3,000  of  the 
enemy  being  slain,  and  only  sixty-four  privates  and  two  officers  of  the 
English  ;  all  ministers  in  London,  and  within  the  lines  of  communi- 
cation publish  the  same  to-morrow,  Sunday,  the  30th  instant,  and  stir 
up  the  people  to  give  thanks.  This  order  to  be  printed  and  sent  to 
the  Lord  Mayor,  who  is  to  send  a  copy  to  all  ministers  within  his 
jurisdiction.  It  was  further  ordered  in  parliament,  October  iith, 
that  12,000  of  the  Acts  for  a  day  of  public  thanksgiving  be  forthwith 
printed  and  sent  to  the  sheriffs  of  the  several  counties,  to  be  dispersed 
to  all  the  ministers  of  the  parishes  in  England  and  Wales  and  tlie 
town  of  Berwick  ;  and  that  the  Council  of  State  give  order  accord- 
ingly. In  obedience  to  the  order  of  the  Council  of  State,  the  ministers 
of  London  acquainted  the  people  with  the  great  successes  of  the  Par- 
liamentary forces  in  Ireland  and' returned  thanks  to  God  for  the  same. 

The  first  of  November  was  observed  as  a  general  day  of  thanks- 
giving throughout  the  whole  kingdom,  for  the  foregoing  victory  at 
Drogheda,  and  others  since  obtained  in  Ireland.  On  the  same  day 
an  order  was  issued,  "that  ^loo  be  given  to  Captain  Porter,  who 
brought  the  news  of  the  great  success  in  Iicland,  for  his  pains  and 
travel  therein,  the  Council  of  State  to  see  to  it." 

The  In's/i  Monthly  J\Tcrcury  for  December,  1649,  printed  at  Cork, 
thus  unfeelingly  triumphs  over  this  defeat  : 

"  Not  long  after  the  sally  at  Dublin,  which  the  enemy  out  of  modesty,  call  the 
battle  of  Rathmines,  the  Lord  Lieutenant  landed  at  Dublin,  with  an  army  so  nour- 
isiied  in  victory  that  they  never  saw  any  defeat  but  those  they  gave  their  enemies. 
The  fust  design  we  undertook  was  the  gaining  of  Tredagh,  in  which  Ormonde  had 
placed  above  3,000  of  his  select  men,  and  Sir  Arthur  Aston  for  commander,  one  as 
un;.ble  to  stand  to  it  as  to  run  away;  and  it  may  be  that's  the  reason  he  fell  in  the 
service  ;  doubtless  he  was  better  for  a  retreat,  since  every  step  he  would  make  a 


C4  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 

halt.  In  a  word,  if  the  rule  be  true,  of  judging  Hercules  by  his  foot,  we  may  con- 
clude this  a  wooden  governor ;  yet  he  had  made  so  good  earthen  fortifications,  that, 
by  trusting  to  his  works,  he  showed  what  religion  he  was  of.  Their  first  entrench- 
ment against  us  was  the  church,  out  of  which  tliey  were  soon  dislodged  ;  and  I  dare 
say  it  was  the  first  time  they  ever  went  from  churcli  unwillingly,  this  being  done, 
too,  by  some  ordinances  of  Parliament,  'tis  not  unlikely  the  grave  Presbyterians 
(if  ever  the  drowsy  assembly  come  into  play  again)  may  question  their  proceeding, 
and  aver  we  have  a  mind  our  enemies  should  still  continue  Papists,  by  so  frequently 
evincing  there  was  no  salvation  for  them  in  our  Church.  At  length,  the  breach 
being  found  assaultable  (more  from  the  rent  than  the  longness  of  it),  our  army  were 
so  little  courtiers  as  to  enter  the  town  without  so  much  as  knocking  at  the  gate, 
where  all  lost  their  lives  but  those  that  saved  them.  Of  the  first  qualification  there 
were  about  3,000,  of  the  latter  30,  be  it  more  or  less." 

How  little  such  a  result  was  expected  by  the  Royalist  party  in 
England,  is  seen  from  the  closing  paragraph  of  the  Mercm-his  Prag- 
matic us  oi  September  17th,  1649,  where  having  said  that  "Lord  Noll 
had  turned  his  nose^  towards  Tredagh,  thinking  to  fire  the  town  ;  but 
the  sea  had  formerly  so  cooled  it  that  it  looked  as  if  he  had  wrapped 
it  in  an  indigo  bag,  to  keep  it  from  firing  the  gunroom  "  ;  the  writer 
concludes : 

"  More  certain  news,  that  Cromwell  hath  now  his  ironsides  banged  to  purpose, 
and  is,  as  one  letter  speaks,  beat  back  into  Dublin  with  a  very  great  loss,  at  least 
4,000  slain  and  600  taken,  himself  wounded,  but  not  mortal.  The  Junto  (i.  e.,  the 
parliament)  have  caused  proclamation  to  be  made  at  all  seaports  for  letters,  that  this 
news  should  not  be  divulged  :  but,  as  secret  as  they  carry  it,  it  is  sufficiently  known 
for  truth.  The  King  is  said  to  be  landed  in  Ireland,  which  adds  new  life  and  valor 
in  the  commanders  and  common  soldiers,  that  by  the  next  year  you  will  go  near  to 
hear  of  Dublin  being  besieged,  if  not  stormed,  all  their  forces  now  drawing  that 
way.  There  is  good  store  of  money  in  the  castle,  which  will  make  the  soldiers 
storm  lustily." 

Ormonde  strove  to  ex.cuse  himself  for  not  aiding  Drogheda, 
though  at  the  time  he  had  over  3,000  men  under  his  command. 
"  Many  of  them  had  come  off  from  the  rebels  to  us  in  the  time  of  our 
better  fortune,  as  the  Lord  Moore's  and  Sir  Thomas  Armstrong's 
horse,  and  of  these  our  numbers  diminished  daily  by  the  revolt  of 
some  officers  and  many  private  soldiers,  the  rest  showing  much  dejec- 
tion of  courage,  and  upon  all  occasions  of  want,  which  are  very  frequent 
J  with  us,  venting  their  discontent  in  such  dangerous  words,  that  it  was 
\.  held  unsafe  to  bring  them  within  that  distance  of  the  enemy  as  was 
necessary  to  haye  kept  them  united,  and  consequently  one  side  of  the 
town  open  to  receive  continual  supplies. 

Cromwell  and  his  party  did  not  err  in  their  conjecture.  The 
speedy  capture  of  Drogheda  and  the  merciless  massacre  of  its  inhab- 
itants had  the  effect  which  they  desired.  It  spread  abroad  the  terror 
of  his  name  ;  it  cut  off  the  best  body  of  the  Irish  troops,  and  dis- 
heartened the  rest  to  such  a  degree,  that  it  was  a  greater  loss  in  itself 
and  more  fatal  in  its  consequence  than  the  rout  at  Rathmines.  Or- 
monde wrote  to  the  King  :     "  It  is  not  to  be  imagined  the  terror  that 

^  Cromwell's  ruby  nose  was  productive  of  much  nonsense  and  buffoonery;  "the  blaz- 
ing cf-his  beacon  nose,"  "  the  glowworm  glistening  in  his  beak,"  "Oliver  is  a  bird  of  prey, 
as  you  may  know  by  liis  bloody  beak."  Jesse's  Co%trt  of  Englaiid  iiiidir  the  Stuarts,  vol.  iii. 
p.  30 ;  London,  1840. 


CROMWELL   7.V  IRELAND.  G5  ' 

these  successes  and  the  power  of  the  rebels  liave  struck  into  the  peo- 
ple. They  are  so  stupefied,  that  it  is  with  great  difficulty  I  can  per- 
suade them  to  act  anything  like  men  towards  their  own."  When  Owen 
Roe  O'Neill  heard  the  sad  news,  he  swore  a  great  oath,  that,  as 
Cromwell  had  taken  Drogheda  by  storm,  if  he  should  storm  hell  he 
would  take  it.  Immediately  after,  i8o  of  Inchiquin's  men  deserted 
and  passed  over  to  Cromwell's  army. 

According  to  jiopular  tradition,  Cromwell  held  a  council  of  war  in 
the  drawing-room  of  the  large  house  with  an  oriel  window,  formerly 
belonging  to  the  Drumgoole  family,  and  now  forming  part  of  Kirk's 
hotel. 

Two  days  after  the  fall  of  Drogheda,  Cromwell  dispatched  Colo- 
nel Chidley  Coote  with  two  regiments  of  horse,  his  own  and  Jones', 
and  Colonel  Castle's  regiment  of  foot,  to  take  possession  of  Dundalk. 
Ormonde  had  ordered  this  place  and  Trim  to  be  abandoned  and  burnt 
when  Drogheda  was  taken  ;  but  fear  so  possessed  the  garrison  that 
they  did  not  carry  out  his  orders.  A  messenger  was  sent  forward 
with  the  following  summons  to  the  Governor  : 

"  For  the  Chief  Officer  commanding  in  Dundalk;  These  : 

"  \2fh  Scptembei-,  1649. 
"  Sir, 

"  I  offered  mercy  to  tlie  garrison  at  Tredagh,  in  sending  the  Governor  a  sum- 
mons before  I  attempted  the  taking  of  it,  which  being  refused  brought  their  evil 
upon  them. 

"  If  you,  being  warned  thereby,  shall  surrender  your  garrison  to  the  use  of  the 
Parliament  of  England,  which  by  this  I  summon  you  to  do,  you  may  thereby  pre- 
vent effusion  of  blood.  If,  upon  refusing  this  offer,  that  wliich  you  like  not  befalls 
you,  you  will  know  whom  to  blame. 

"  I  rest, 

"  Your  servant, 

O.  Cromwell-." 

The  enemy  abandoned  the  place,  and  possession  was  taken  of  it. 
There  is  a  tradition  that  Cromwell  came  to  Dundalk,  and  received 
there  a  wound  which  marked  his  face.  He  was  watering  his  horse  at 
the  ford  where  the  bridge  was  built  afterwards.  Lord  Plunkett,  ances- 
tor of  Lord  Louth,  one  of  the  Royalist  officers,  who  was  in  the  neigh- 
borhood enlisting  men  for  the  Confederates,  was  riding  by,  and  his 
horse,  wishing  to  drink,  stopped  short  at  the  same  ford.  Seeing  the 
reflection  of  Cromwell's  star  in- the  water,  Plunkett  determined  if  pos- 
sible, to  kill  him  ;  and,  not  being  near  enough  to  reach  him  with  his 
sword,  he  flung  the  naked  blade  at  Oliver's  head  and  gashed. his 
prominent  nose.  A  rush  was  instantly  made  by  Cromwell's  attend- 
ants, but  the  Royalist  officer  escaped  by  a  subterranean  vault  leading 
into  Lord  Roden's  demesne.  A  large  reward  was  offered  for  his 
apprehension.  He  was  traced  by  a  faithless  servant  named  Taaffe 
and  betrayed.  He  was  seized  and  brought  captive  to  Castle  Cumber- 
land. Cromwell's  wound  was  undergoing  surgical  treatment  at  the 
moment.  Several  of  the  Parliamentary  officers  suggested  a  variety 
of  crtiel  deaths,  in  order  that  the  sufferer  might  select  that  which  he 
deemed  most  painful  to  the  prisoner.     But  Cromwell  would  not  adopt 


66  CROMWELL   IN  IRELiND. 

any  of  their  savage  plans,  and  said  he  preferred  to  leave  the  selection 
to  Lord  Plunkett  himself.  When  the  captive  was  asked  how  he  wished 
to  die,  he  replied  boldly  :  "With  my  good  sword  in  my  hand,  and  any 
two  of  your  officers  before  me  ready  to  execute  your  orders."  This 
reply  so  gratified  the  General,  that  he  spared  the  prisoner's  life,  on 
condition  that  there  should  always  be  an  Oliver  in  the  family.  The 
name,  however  seems  to  have  been  common  among  the  Plunketts 
before  the  event  here  mentioned  took  place. 

"  A  party  of  horse  and  dragoons  was  sent  to  a  house  within  five  miles  of  Trim, 
there  being  then  in  Trim  some  Scots  companies  which  the  Lord  of  Ardes '  brought 
to  assist  the  Lord  of  Ormonde.  But  upon  the  news  of  Tredagh,  they  ran  away, 
leaving  their  great  guns  behind  them,  which  we  also  possessed." 

Major  Ponsonby  was  left  at  Trim  with  a  small  garrison  ;  the  rest 
returned  to  the  army.  The  "  house  "  was  the.castle  of  Trubly  ;  ^  here 
Cromwell  passed  a  night.  He  battered  down  a  part  of  the  Yellow 
Steeple,  and  blew  up  a  tower  of  the  castle.  Some  years  ago  a  number 
of  lead  and  iron  bullets  were  found  in  the  ruins.  Dean  Butler  doubts 
wdiether  Cromwell  visited  Trim  ;  but  there  is  a  tradition  that  Scurlock 
of  Scurlockstovvn  and  his  brother  of  the  Rock  had  a  skirmish  with 
him  at  a  place  since  called  Cromwell's  Plill,  near  Grange ;  and  that 
Rathmore  Castle,  then  held  by  the  Plunketts,  was  blown  down  by  balls 
from  guns  planted  on  the  Hill  of  Ward.  A  stone  over  the  door  of 
Ballinlough  castle  recorded  that  the  estates  were  given  back  to  the 
owner  by  Cromwell  in  return  for  the  good  entertainment  he  received 
there.  There  is  in  the  keeping  of  the  family  an  old  document  which 
shows  he  visited  the  place.  He  passed  a  night  in  the  old  church  of 
Taghmon,  when  besieging  the  castle  ;  the  Nugents,  the  owners  of  it, 
escaped  being  massacred  by  flight  during  the  night.  ^ 

Thus  ended  the  hopes  that  Ormonde  had  placed  on  the  long  re- 
sistance which  he  supposed  would  be  offered  by  Drogheda.  He  left 
his  quarters  at  Trim  and  Tecroghan,''  and  at  the  head  of  5,000  men 
retreated  southwards,  having  given  orders  to  the  garrisons  which  he 
left  behind  to  set  fire  to  the  places  committed  to  their  keeping  in 
case  the  enemy  should  approach.     But  fear  so  possessed  them  that 

1  Hugh  Montgomery,  second  viscount  Arties,  was  son  of  the  si.xth  laird  of  Braidstones, 
one  of  the  Scotch  favorites  of  James  I.  His  uncle,  the  fust  viscount,  was  dean  of  Norwich  ; 
but  seeing  that  a  good  fortune  uiiglU  be  made  iu  Ireland,  he  got  himself  apiniinted  to  the 
sees  of  Derry,  Clogher,  and  Raphoe,  which  three  dioceses  comprising  the  chiefest  part  of 
Ulster,  were  now  united  for  one  man's  benefit.  He  was  one  of  the  Connuissioners  a])pointed 
by  tlie  King  to  seize  on  the  lands  of  the  Irish  for  the  Church  and  the  Crown.  If  the  lauds 
were  found  to  belong  to  the  sept,  they  were  declared  forfeited  to  the  Crown,  in  consequence 
of  O'Neill's  rebellion  ;  if  they  belonged  to  the  Church,  then  the  Bishop  entered  on  the 
possession  of  them.  In  either  case  the  natives  were  plundered.  See  Rev.  C.  P.  Meehan's 
FUi^ht  of  the  Earls,  p.  56. 

-  Trubly  was  the  property  of  the  Cusack  family  from  the  time  of  Richard  II. 
8  The  translator  of  Cumluensis  Eva siis  says  the  garrison  and  citizens  of  Moate  sur- 
rendered on  terms  to  Cromwell  himself,  but  nothing  of  the  kind  is  s.tid  in  the  original. 
The  passage  clearly  refers  to  the  MiUmount  near  Drogheda.  See  Cdi/tb.  Ever.,  vol.  iii.  p.  1S7. 
*  Tecroghan  was  surrendered  to  Col.  Reynolds  and  Sir  Theophilus  Jones,  June  i6th, 
1650,  by  its  governor,  Sir  Robert  Talbot.  This  castle  belonged  to  Sir  Luke  Fitzgerald  ;  his 
wite  was  called  by  the  soldiers  Colonel  Mary.  She  was  greatly  misled  by  the  coufrdence  she 
placed  in  Talbot.     Aph.  Disc.  vol.  ii   p.  91. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  67 


they  did  not  execute  these  orders,  nor  destroy  the  fortifications  as 
they  were  directed  ;  the  enemy  thought  it  worth  while  to  take  pos- 
session of  them  and  garrison  them.  Cromwell  deemed  it  wisest  not 
to  pursue  him  through  a  hostile  country,  the  roads  of  which  he  was 
entirely  ignorant  of.  His  forces,  too,  were  somewhat  weakened  by 
the  detachments  left  in  the  different  strongholds  which  he  had  seized, 
especially  at  Drogheda,  which  he  tool^  special  care  to  secure  against 
any  sudden  assault.  He  returned  to  Dublin,  where,  no  doubt,. he  was 
wclcoo^ed  with  joy. 


68  CROMWELL  lA   IRELAND. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE    CROMWELLIANS    IN    THE    NORTH, 

Venables'  Expedition  —  The  Ulster  Scots  —  Surrender  of  Carlingford  and  Newry — Defeat 
of  Tcevor  —  Surrender  of  Belfast  and  Coleraine  —  Further  Successes — Cromwell's 
Letter. 

The  capture  of  Dundalk  opened  up  the  road  to  the  north  and 
enabled  Cromwell  to  continue  his  successes  in  that  quarter.  When 
leaving  Dublin,  he  had  despatched  northwards  by  sea  1,000  foot,  and 
a  plentiful  supply  of  wheat  and  "  other  things  necessary  for  their  ac- 
commodation ;  "  500  horse  were  sent  by  land.  Two  large  battering 
guns  were  sent  in  a  man  of  war  ;  this  was  to  attend  upon  the  party 
during  the  expedition.  Venables,  who  was  in  command,  was  ordered 
to  effect  a  junction  with  Sir  Charles  Coote,  then  shut  up  in  Derry. 
He  was  told  also  to  sound  the  Scotch  planters  and,  if  possible,  to  gain 
them  over  to  the  side  of  the  Commonwealth.  The  Ulster  Scots  were 
divided  among  themselves  ;  some  still  held  out  for  the  King  ;  a  con- 
siderable number  sided  with  the  Parliament.  '  These  had  sent  mes- 
sengers to  Cromwell  when  he  lay  before  Drogheda,  asking  for  aid. 
Venables  was  soon  in  a  position  "  to  send  information  which  promised 
well  towards  the  northern  interest."  He  found  these  disciples  of 
Knox  were  but  too  ready  to  make  common  cause  with  the  Puritan 
party  against  the  Catholic  Confederates. 

On  the  .i8th  of  September,  the  land  force  came  before  Carling- 
ford. The  same  day  the  ship  entered  the  harbor  and  passed  the  fort 
at  its  mouth  without  being  harmed  in  any  way,  though  several  shots 
were  fired  at  her  as  she  sailed  past.  That  night  Venables  encamped 
in  the  open  country  to  the  south  of  the  town.  The  next  day  prepar- 
ations were  made  to  land  the  cannon  and  erect  the  battery  ;  but  before 
either  was  done,  the  garrison  beat  a  parley  and  surrendered  upon 
articles.  He  found  in  the  three  castles  and  in  the  fort  commanding 
the  town  forty  barrels  of  powder,  seven  pieces  of  cannon,  about  a 
thousand  muskets,  and  nearly  five  hundred  pikes. 

The  following  day,  with  Jones'  regiment  he  marched  by  the  river 
side  under  the  mountain  to  Newry,^  and  crossed  the  river  at  a  ford, 
a  mile  below  the  town  ;  the  rest  of  the  party  was  left  with  Coote  on 
the  other  side  of  the  mountain.  On  Venables'  approach,  the  governor 
came  out  to  treat  with  him.  He  allowed  the  horse  to  march  through 
the  town,  cross  the  bridge,  and  take  up  quarters  on  the  Down  side  of 

1  Newry,  anciently  called  luhhar  cinn  Tragha,  the  ycw-trcc  at  the  head  of  the  strand, 
said  to  have  been  planted  by  St.  Patrick.  See  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  ad  ann.  1162  ; 
DLil)iin,  1856.  In  after  ages  the  name  was  shortened  to  lubhar,  which,  by  prefixing  the  Irish 
article,  gave  rise  to  the  present  form  of  the  name.  See  Joyce'  Irish  Names  of  Places,  pp.  23 
and  52,  first  series  ;  Dublin,  1869. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  69 

the  river  ;  he  tlien  sunendered  the  castle  upon  articles.  Venables 
with  his  regiment  rested  there  for  three  days  ;  he  was  then  joined  by 
the  rest  of  the  troops. 

Meantime  word  was  brought  him  from  Lisnagarvay  (Lisburn) 
by  some  deserters,  that  the  town  would  surrender  if  he  showed  him- 
self before  it.  Leaving  an  ensign  and  some  few  men  in  the  castle  of 
Newry,  he  continued  his  march  Northwards,  and  lay  the  first  night 
at  Dromoic.  lie  encamped  by  the  road  side  in  a  field  to  the  south- 
west of  the  town,  well  enclosed  with  hedges.  He  was  not  aware  that 
any  of  the  enemy  was  in  the  neighborhood  ;  besides,  both  officers  and 
men  had  grown  careless,  owing  to  their  constant  success,  and  did  not 
think  there  was  any  danger  to  be  feared  from  an  enemy  whom  they 
despised.  About  three  hours  after  they  had  encamped,  news  was 
brought  from  Dundalk  that  Colonel  Mark  Trevor,  who  had  been  sent 
by  Ormonde  to  intercept  them,  was  advancing  with  a  considerable 
party  of  horse,  intending  to  attack  them  unawares  before  morning. 
Orders  were  immediately  issued  for  the  horse  to  draw  off  into  the 
enclosed  field  where  the  fort  lay.  But,  owing  to  the  carelessness  of 
the  officer  who  gave  the  order,  or  of  the  messenger  who  delivered  it, 
little  notice  was  taken  of  it;  it  did  not  reach  half  the  horse;  the 
dragoons  were  totally  ignorant  of  it.  The  omission  was  near  proving 
the  utter  ruin  of  the  entire  party.  Trevor  had  followed  them  all  day. 
His  scouts  gave  him  certain  intelligence  of  their  movements.  When 
darkness  set  in,  he  sent  some  of  his  rnen  to  reconnoitre  the  camp  and 
to  find  out  when  an  attack  would  be  made.  Before  daybreak  he  fell 
on  them.  The  guards  were  surprised  and  ran  off  towards  the  camp, 
closely  pursued  by  the  assailants.  The  sudden  onset  threw  the  main 
body  into  confusion  :  they,  too,  fled  in  dismay.  Fortunately  for  the 
fugitives,  the  greater  part  of  the  encampment  was  surrounded  by  a 
high  hedge,  behind  which  was  a  bog.  Hence  they  could  not  readily 
find  a  way  of  escape  ;  had  they  dispersed,-  they  would  have  been 
knocked  on  the  head  by  the  peasantry  or  cut  to  pieces  by  the  enemy. 
Owing  to  the  darkness  of  the  morning,  Trevor  was  not  aware  of  the 
advantage  he  had  gained.  With  500  horse  he  took  up  his  position  on 
the  neighboring  hill.  From  the  small  resistance  he  had  heard  made, 
he  concluded  that  the  enemy  was  totally  defeated  and  could  not  rally  ; 
when  daylight  appeared,  his  cavalry  would  be  ready  to  capture  any 
that  survived  the  attack.  As  soon  as  day  broke,  Venables  saw  his 
(Innger  ;  about  fifty  of  his  liorse  rallied  and  dr(;w  up  on  a  mound  within 
IIk;  field.  'I'liosc  who  h;ul  concc'dcd  1  hcinsdves  in  Iiolcs  :ii)d  dit(li<;s 
l<Mik  ii|>  their  ai  iiiM  :i|^:iin  ;ind  joined  (Mi  lo  liie  horse  ;  so  that  hi-loit- 
Trevor's  men  could  see  what  the  enemy  was  doing,  there  had  got 
together  four  or  five  bodies  of  horse  and  a  party  of  400  foot,  all 
ashamed  of  the  confusion  into  which  they  had  fallen  and  eager  to 
redeem  their  fault  by  a  display  of  bravery.  After  a  sharp  skirmish 
Trevor  was  forced  to  retire  towards  the  Bann  ;  two  officers,  who  had 
been  taken  prisoners,  and  two  standards  were  retaken.  The  same 
day  Venables  advanced  to  Lisburn  ;  there  he  was  joined  by  Major 
Jiruffe  with  a  troop  of  the  county  horse.  They  marched  to  Belfast, 
which  surrendered  within   four  days   upon   articles.     Eight  hundred 


70  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 

Scots  were  afterwards  turned  out  of  the  town,  whither  they .  had 
brought  their  wives  and  children  to  plant  themselves.  About  the 
same  time  Colerain  surrendered  to  Sir  Charles  Coote  ;  he  imitated 
the  example  of  Cromwell  at  Drogheda  in  putting  the  garrison  to  the 
sword.  He  entered  the  counties  of  Down  and  Antrim,  and  forced 
Sir  George  Munroe  to  retire.  By  the  end  of  September,  every  port 
and  every  important  place  in  the  North  —  Carrickfergus  alone  ex- 
cepted —  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Parliament,  There  being  no  longer 
any  occasion  for  such  a  large  body  of  horse  in  those  parts,  Jones' 
regiment  was  sent  back  to  reinforce  the  army  in  Dublin.  When  an- 
nouncing these  successes  to  the  parliament,  Cromwell  ends  his  letter 
thus  : 

"  I  have  sent  these  things  to  be  presented  to  the  Council  of  State  for  their 
consideration.  I  pray  God,  as  these  mercies  flow  in  upon  you,  He  will  give  you  a 
heart  to  improve  them  to  His  glory  alone ;  because  He  alone  is  the  Author  of  them 
and  of  all  goodness,  patience,  and  long  suffering  extended  towards  you. 

"P.  S.— I  desire  the  supplies  moved  for  maybe  hastened.  I  am  very  per- 
suaded though  the  burden  be  great,  yet  it  is  for  your  service.  If  the  garrisons  we 
take  swallow  up  your  men,  how  shall  we  be  able  to  keep  the  field  ?  Who  knows  but 
the  Lord  may  pity  England's  sufferings,  and  make  a  short  work  of  this  ?  It  is  in 
His  hand  to  do  it,  and  therein  only  your  servants  rejoice.  I  humbly  present  the 
condition  of  Capt.' George  Jenkins'  widow.  He  died  presently  after  Tredagh  storm. 
His  widow  is  in  great  want." 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  '  71 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  KING  AND  ORMONDE. 

Ormonde  tries  to  collect  Supplies — The  King's  Journey  to  Ireland  —  Ills  Character  —  In- 
trigues of  the  Scotch  Envoys —  He  decides  to  go  to  Scotland  —  Taaffe  joins  Ormonde  — 
Refusal  of  the  Cities  to  contribute,  * 

Immediately  after  the  capture  of  Drogeda  Ormonde  left  Port- 
lester  with  the  remnant  of  his  army  and  marched  towards  Kilkenny  ; 
here  he  expected  to  be  joined  by  Inchiqiiin,  who  had  still  a  consider- 
able force  of  horse  and  foot  in  Munster,  and  by  Lord  Montgomery 
of  Ardes  at  the  head  of  the  Ulster  troops.  But  lie  had  neither  money 
nor  provisions  to  keep  an  army  together  even  for  a  single  day.  The 
Commissioners  of  Trust  were  dispersed  ;  the  collectors  employed  by 
them  were  not  so  diligent  as  they  should  have  been  in  getting  in  either 
corn  or  money.  Ormonde  issued  warrants  for  raising  both  ;  this  the 
Commissioners  declared  a  breach  of  the  articles  of  the  treaty  ;  some 
even  spoke  of  making  terms  with  the  enemy. 

Once  more,  in  his  perplexity,  Ormonde  turned  to  the  King. 
About  the  middle  of  June  Charles  had  left  the  Hague  and  gone  to  St. 
Germain's  to  visit .  the  Queen,  his  mother,  intending  after  a  stay  of 
eight  days,  to  proceed  on  his  journey  to  Ireland,  "as  a  place  where 
he  might  conveniently  unite  the  forces  and  interests  of  both  kingdoms 
against  the  common  enemy."  At  this  time  the  royal  interest  was 
predominent  in  Ireland.  The  fleet  under  Prince  Rupert  road  triumph- 
ant along  the  coast  ;  the  Parliamentary  commanders,  Jones  in  Dublin, 
Monk  in  I^clfast,  and  Cook  in  Londonderry,  were  almost  confined 
within  the  limits  of  their  garrisons.  Inchiquin  in  Munster,  the  Scotch 
regiments  in  Ulster,  the  great  body  of  the  Catholics  throughout  tlie 
whole  country  had  proclaimed  the  King,  and  acknowledged  the  au- 
thority of  his  lieutenant.  Just  then  Charles  was  asked  by  Ormonde 
to  come  to  Ireland  ;  he  consented.  But  his  own  pleasures  or  the  in- 
trigues of  his  counsellors  detained  him  for  three  whole  months  at  St. 
Germain's.  Meantime  news  reached  him  of  the  defeat  at  Rathmines. 
His  first  impulse  on  hearing  of  it  was  to  set  out  for  Ireland  and  bear 
a  share  in  the  struggle.  To  those  who  reminded  him  of  the  dangers 
he  would  encounter  he  replied,  "  Then  must  I  go  there  to  die,  for  it 
is  disgraceful  to  live  anywhere  else."  But  Charles  was  even  then 
essentially  a  man  of  pleasure ;  his  good  purposes  through  life  were 
writ  in  water.  One  of  his  courtiers  described  his  character  to  Or- 
monde :  Foreign  princes  begin  to  look  on  him  as  a  person  so  lazy 
and  careless  in  his  own  business  that  they  think  it  not  safe,  by  con- 
tributing anything  to  his  assistance,  to  irritate  so  potent  enemies  as 
they  fear  his  rebellious  subjects  are  likely  to  prove.  Charles  soon 
felt   that   his   presence  was   by  no  means  desirable  at  St,  Germain's. 


72  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 

Mazarin  gave  liim  plainly  to  understand  that  a  longer  residence  there 
would  embarrass  the  court  of  France,  which  had  no  desire  to  quarrel 
with  the  Commonwealth  of  England.  Queen  Henrietta  Maria  urged 
him  to  take  the  Cardinal's  hint.  It  was  remarked  that  after  he  had 
learned  that  Cromwell  had  assumed  the  government  of  Ireland,  he 
hesitated  still  more,  lest  he  might  meet  such  a  formidable  adversary. 
He  sent  Colonel  Warren  and  Mr.  Henry  Seymour,  gentlemen  of  his 
bedchamber,  to  obtain  from  Ormonde  a  true  account  of  the  state  of 
affairs  in  Ireland  and  his  opinion  concerning  the  expediency  of  the 
journey.  On  the  27th  of  September  Ormonde  replied  to  the  King 
as  follows  :  —  ^ 

"  Your  Majesty's  commands  in  your  letters  and  in  the  message  by  Colonel 
Wancn,  were  to  give  you  an  account  of  the  present  state  of  affairs  here  and  my 
opinion  touching  your  Majesty's  coming  into  this  kingdom.  The  first,  Sir,  is  briefly 
this  :  Tlie  rebels  are  strong  in  their  numbers,  exalted  with  success,  abundantly  pro- 
vided with  all  necessaries,  likely  to  want  for  nothing  that  England  can  afford  them; 
and,  in  the  pride  of  all  this,  are  either  marched  out  or  ready  to  march  out,  to  pursue 
their  victories.  On  the  other  side,  to  withstand  them  our  numbers  are  inferior, 
discouraged  with  misfortunes,  hardly  and  uncertainly  provided  for,  the  people  weary 
of  their  burdens,  wavering  in  their  affections,  through  the  advantages  taken  to  per- 
vert them  by  those  disloyally  inclined,  and  our  towns  defenceless  against  any  con- 
siderable attempt.  After  such  a  stating  of  our  condition,  your  Majesty  may  wonder 
that  I,  who,  in  my  opinion  concerning  the  hazarding  of  your  person  into  this  king- 
dom, was  doubtful,  or  rather  plainly  against  it,  only'upon  fallil)le  resolutions  taken 
of  Cromwell's  coming  over,  before  the  defeat  near  Dublin,  which  made  easy  the 
better  half  of  his  work  in  this  kingdom,  and  before  the  loss  of  Drogheda  with  above 
two  thousand  of  our  best  foot  and  above  two  hundred  horse,  should  now  change  my 
opinion,  and  hold  it  absolutely  necessary  for  your  Majesty  to  appear  here  in  person. 

"This  seeming  preposterous  change  proceeds  not  from  a  less  care  of  your 
Majesty's  safety,  but  from  a  greater  desire  of  your  glory,  consisting  in  your  being 
restored  to  your  kingdoms  Ijy  the  blessing  of  God  upon  your  immediate  conduct  of 
your  affairs  and  armies  ;  for  which  by  a  special  nrovidence  they  seem  to  be  reserved, 
and  without  which  it  is  evident,  not  only  to  me,  but  to  all  that  for  faith  or  judgment 
I  hold  capable  of  such  a  debate,  that  this  kingdom  will  very  shortly  eject  all  signs 
of  obedience  to  your  Majesty,  and  revert  to  the  condition  it  was  in  when  your  Ma- 
jesty commanded  me  hither,  or  rather  to  a  much  worse.  For  all  such  as  have  con- 
tributed towards  the  restitution  of  your  Majesty's  government  at  the  conclusion  of 
the  last  peace  and  would  persevere  to  the  end  in  their  loyalty,  will  now  infallibly,  in 
the  first  place,  be  singled  and  marked  out  for  destruction.  So  that  if  your  Majesty 
conceive  the  preservation  of  any  footing  in  this  kingdom  may  be  at  any  time  neces- 
sary towards  the  recovery  of  the  other  two,  it  can,  reasonably  speaking,  be  no  other 
way  hoped  for  than  by  your  presence  ;  and  by  that  it  may.  When  there  was  a  pos- 
sibility of  reducing  this  kingdom  without  this  or  any  ]iersonal  hazard  to  your  IMajest)', 
and  that  by  the  reduction  of  it,  your  Majesty  might  have  no  more  to  do  but  to 
command  the  transportation  of  an  army  hence  for  any  design  more  worthy  the  ven- 
ture of  your  person  than  this  then  seemed  to  be,  and  that  I  saw  it  was  needful  to 
put  something  upon  unequal  trial  rather  than  abide  the  threatened  invasion,  I  held 
it  my  duty  to  dissuade  your  Majesty  to  come  in  at  the  end  of  our  success,  when  it 
was  to  be  feared  the  formidable  forces  then  designed  and  since  come  against  us 
would  give  a  check  unto  it.  But  now  that  the  rebels  are  so  exalted  in  their  jMide, 
even  as  high  success  and  the  lowest  contempt  of  an  enemy  can  raise  them,  and  that 
any  check  given  by  vour  Majesty  to  them  will  hazard  the  ruin  of  their  usurpation 
and  the  restoring  of  your  Majesty,  it  will  be  ruin  to  them  if  the  jirogress  of  their 
arms  be  now  stopped,  and  to  j  our  Majesty's  infinite  honor  to  have  attempted  it  with 
such  disadvantage,  whatever  the  event  be.  Yet  I  should  not  dare  to  advise  the 
purchase  of  if  at  so  desperate  a  rate,  nor  your  coming  into  this  kingdom,  if  I  did  not 
believe  your  Majesty  may  have  as  sale  a  residence  here  and  retreat  hence  as  I  con- 
ceive that  in  or  from  Jersey  to  be." 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  73 

Meantime,  about  the  middle  of  September,  Charles  had  set  out 
for  St.  Germain's,  by  way  of  Normandy,  for  the  island  of  Jersey,  the 
only  part  of  his  dominions  of  which  he  retained  possession,  in  order 
to  be  so  much  nearer  to  Ireland,  in  case  he  should  be  advised  to  go 
there.  Prince  Rupert  was  at  Kinsale  with  sixteen  frigates  of  the 
royal  fleet,  well  equipped  and  ready  to  put  to  sea,  awaiting  orders  to 
set  sail  and  escort  the  King  to  Ireland. 

Ormonde's  letter  reached  the  King  at  Jersey.  Owing  to  the 
intrigues  of  the  Scotch  envoys  and  to  the  artful  insinuations  of  some 
of  his  counsellors,  who  secretly  feared  that  if  he  was  once  at  the 
head  of  a  Catholic  army,  he  would  listen  to  the  demands  of  the 
Catholic  party  for  the  re-establishment  of  their  religion,  and  to  a  dis- 
inclination on  his  own  part  to  show  himself  to  the  Protestants  of 
England  and  Scotland  surrounded  by  a  Catholic  people  as  his  chief 
supporters,  he  had  already  changed  his  mind  and  was  now  determined 
to  go  to  Scotland.  All  thoughts  of  the  expedition  to  Ireland  were  at 
an  end.  Ormonde  had  nothing  left  him  but  to  strive  to  unite  for  a 
common  effort  the  various  parties  that  still  professed  allegiance  to 
the  Crown.  He  went  to  Graigue,  in  the  county  of  Kilkenny,  and 
encamped  there  :  here  he  was. joined  by  Major-General  Luke  Taaffe, 
at  the  head  of  i,ooo  foot  and  300  horse,  which  the  Marquis  of  Clan- 
ricarde  had  sent  to  his  assistance  from  Connaught.  But  he  was 
utterly  deficient  in  supplies.  The  only  course  open  to  him  was  to 
place  these  troops  in  garrisons,  where  they  would  be  most  likely  to 
hinder  the  advance  of  the  enemy.  Even  for  this  the  consent  and 
authority  of  the  Commissioners  of  Trust  were  needed.  Not  only  did 
they  refuse  the  necessary  permission,  but  the  very  cities  and  towns 
which  were  most  likely  to  be  attacked  were  those  which  were  most 
determined  in  refusing  to  admit  any  of  his  soldiers.  Wexford,  Water- 
ford,  and  Limerick  would  make  no  terms  with  him  ;  they  declared 
they  would  not  obey  his  orders  further  than  they  thought  fit. 


74  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


OWEN    ROE    O  NEILL. 


Ormonde's  Overtures  to  O'Neill — Terms  of  the  Treaty — His  Illness  and  Death  —  His 
Character — Letter  to  Ormonde  —  Early  Life  of  O'Neill  —  The  School  of  Mars  — 
The  Sword  of  Red  Hugh  —  licnburb  —  His  Forces  join  Ormonde. 

Soon  after  Ormonde's  defeat  at  Rathmines,  he  sent  Daniel 
O'Neill  to  his  uncle  Owen  Roe,  to  make  him  offers  of  friendship  and 
to  propose  to  him  the  same  terms  for  the  union  of  the  parties  which 
he  had  offered  before  in  vain  ;  for  O'Neill  would  accept  of  none  but 
such  as  the  nuncio  Rinuccini  had  approved  of.  Ormonde  was  anxious 
to  gain  him  over  to  the  King's  side,  tor,  as  Carte,  no  friend  of  O'Neill, 
admits,  "  the  Marquis  had  a  very  high  and  advantageous  opinion  as 
well  of  his  honor,  constancy,  and  good  sense,  as  of  his  military  skill, 
from  v/hich  he  proposes  as  much  advantage  to  the  King's  affairs  as  he 
did  from  the  force  of  his  troops."  The  King,  too,  urged  Ormonde, 
"  by  all  fair  invitations  to  draw  General  O'Neill  and  his  party  to  sub- 
mit to  their  lawful  sovereign."  By  this  time  O'Neill  had  found  that 
little  reliance  was  to  be  put  in  the  promises  of  the  Puritans.  Just 
before  the  battle  of  Rathmines  he  had  signified  that  he  was  anxious 
to  renew  negotiations.  Owing  to  the  exertions  of  Heber  MacMahon, 
bishop  of  Clogher,  a  treaty  was  brought '  out  between  them,  and  as- 
sented to  by  the  officers  of  the  northern  army.  O'Neill  should  have 
the  command  of  3,000  foot  and  800  horse,  subject  to  the  orders  of  the 
Lord  Lieutenant.  lie  and  his  party  should  enjoy  the  benefit  of  the 
Articles  of  the  Peace  in  their  demands  touching  the  Plantation  in 
Ulster,  and  all  the  other  advantages  derivable  under  these  Articles  ; 
an  act  of  oblivion  was  to  be  passed,  to  take  effect  from  the  22d  of 
October,  1641.  He  agreed  to  join  Ormonde  at  Carrickmacross  in  the 
middle  of  December.  So  eager  was  he  to  show  his-good  will  and  his 
entire  forgetfulness  of  past  injuries,  that,  even. before  the  treaty  was 
signed,  he  sent  3,000  men  under  Lieutenant-General  Ferrall  to  Or- 
monde's assistance.  He  strove  to  follow,  himself,  in  all  haste  ;  but 
at  this  critical  moment  he  was  struck  down  by  a  fatal  illness.  None 
of  his  biographers  have  given  any  detailed  account  of  the  symptoms 
of  his  disease.  According  to  Carte,  "it  was  a  defluxion  in  the  knee, 
which  was  so  extremely  painful,  that  he  could  neither  ride  nor  endure 
to  be  carried  on  a  litter.  By  some  it  was  imputed  to  poison  from  a 
pair  of  russet  boots  sent  him  by  a  gentleman  named  Plunkett,  in  the 
county  of  Louth,  who  afterwards  boasted  he  had  done  the  English 
good  service  in  dispatching  O'Neill  out  of  the  world."     Colonel  Henry 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  75 

Tully  O'Neill,  too,  gives  this  as  the  cause  of  the  illness.^  Others  say- 
he  was  poisoned  by  Coote,  when  entertaining  him  with  a  great  parade 
of  hospitality  and  extraordinary  plenty,  Coote  is  said  to  have  given 
him  at  table  some  subtle  poison,  which  paralyzed  his  energies  so  that 
he  could  no  longer  mount  his  horse  ;  it  was  of  a  lingering  operation, 
weakening  its  victim  gradually,  giving  him  little  pain,  but  causing  his 
hair  and  nails  to  fall  off  by  degrees.  During  the  first  month  of  his 
illness,  O'Shiel,^  his  physician,  was  absent  ;  the  physician  in  attend- 
ance on  him,  mistaking  his  malady,  treated  him  for  gout.  For  some 
time  he  battled  against  tl-^e  disease,  hoping  he  might  so  far  recover  as 
to  be  able  to  plate  himself  at  the  head  of  his  army,  a  thing  he  was 
infniitely  fond  of  doing.  From  Derry,  where  he  was  first  attacked 
about  the  middle  of  August,  he  advanced  slowly  and  painfully  through 
Tyrone  and  Monaghan  into  Cavan.  From  Ballyhaisc  he  was  carried 
to  Cloughouter,^  the  residence  of  liis  brother-in-law,  Philip  Maelmora* 
O'Reilly.  The  author  of  the  ApJiorisjiial  Discovery,  his  secretary,  de- 
scribes his  last  moments  thus:  "lie  died  in  our  Lord,  the  6th  of 
November,  1649,  a  true  child  of  the  Catholic  religion,^  in  sense  and 
memory  ;  many  of  both  secular'  and  regular  clergy  assisting  him  in 
such  a  doubtful  transit,  behaving  himself  most  penitently.  Being 
most  devout  unto  all  regular  orders  in  his  life,  and  specially  to  the 

1  Dcsid.  Cur.  Hih.,  vol.  ii.  p.  520.  Rev.  C.  P.  Meeban,  in  his  Franciscan  Monasteries, 
p.  346,  says,  "it  is  sad  such  a  crime  should  have  been  attributed  to  a  Pluiikett  of  Louth, 
who,  we  presume  was  a  Catholic."  But  he  seems  to  forget  that  the  old  English  of  the  Pale 
showed  themselves  at  all  times  to  be  the  most  inveterate  enemies  of  O'Neill  and  his  parly, 
T,nrd  Dunsany,  a  Plunkett,  used  to  display  his  loyalty  by  cruelty  to  the  Irish  people.  Crom. 
Sett.  p.  256.  "  Phe  Anglo-Irish  of  four  hundred  years  standing,  especially  those  of  the  Pale, 
were  extremely  averse  to  the  rebellion,  and  offered  tlieir  service  to  the  .State  against  the 
rebels,  remembering  their  own  origin  and  choosing  to  adhere  to  the  English  Government, 
which  they  were  aiiiirehensive  would  be  thrown  off  by  the  natives.  They  were  afraid  also 
of  losing  a  considerable  jmrt  of  their  estates,  which  were  Church  properly,  if  the  old  Irish 
got  the  power  of  the  nation  into  their  hands."  Kunziaiura,  p.  391.  The  San  Pietro,  on 
board  of  which  Rinuccini  came  to  Ireland,  was  pursued  by  a  renegade  called  Plunkett  and 
obliged  to  put  into  Kenmare  liay,  though  the  Legate  wished  to  land  at  Waterford.  Ibid.,  p. 
64.  \\\  Lord  Dunraven's  Memorials  of  Adare,  p.  48,  O.xford,  1S64,  there  is  an  account  of  the 
murder  of  F.  Cornelius  O'Connor  and  his  com[ianion,  F.  Eugene  Daly,  Irishmen,  of  the  Order 
of  the  Holy  Trinity  for  the  Redemption  of  Captives,  who,  a  short  time  before,  were  seized 
by  the  heretical  pirate  John  Plunkett,  and  thrown  into  the  sea. 

^  He  had  studied  in  the  chief  seats  of  learning  abroad,  and  on  account  of  his  skill 
was  styled  "the  Eagle  of  Medicine"  by  his  contemporaries.  The  nobles  and  gentry  of 
Limerick  paid  him  an  annual  jiension,  that  they  might  have  his  services  at  call.  He  accom- 
])anicd  Preston  in  his  campaigns,  but  afterwards  united  liis  fortunes  to  those  of  O'Neill.  He 
was  slaii\  in  the  battle  in  which  Henry  O'Neill  was  taken  prisoner.  See  an  account  of  the 
O'Shiels  in  Rev.  C.  P.  Meehan's  Franciscan  Monasteries,  p.  377  j  and  of  Owen  O'Shiel  in 
Aplior.  Disc.  vol.  ii.  j).  89. 

8  Cloghouter,  Cloch  locha  Uachtair,  the  stone  fortress  of  the  upper  lake  ;  it  is  built  on 
a  rock  in  the  middle  of  a  lake,  about  six  miles  to  the  west  of  the  town  of  Cavan.  The  ruins 
are  still  in  existence,  showing  that  the  architectural  details  closely  resemble  those  of  Reg- 
inald's Tower  in  Waterford.  See  Annals  of  the  tour  Masters,  vol.  ii.  p.  646  ;  Dublin,  1S56. 
In  the  island  there  was  an  al)bey  of  Premonstratensians  dedicated  to  the  Blessed  Trinity, 
from  which  it  has  its  i^resent  name  of  Trinity  Island.  .See  O'Cnrry's  MSS.  Miit-erials  of 
Irish  History,  p.  108;  Dublin,  1S61.  It  was  founded  in  1251  by  Claius  O'Mulchonry,  dean 
of  Elphin, 

■*  This  is  a  family  name  of  the  O'Reillys.  O'Donovan  translates  it  "  Illustri(3us  Chief.' 
Irish  Penny  Journal,  p.  415. 

^  "Owen  Roe,  the  most  cordial  Roman  Catholic  in  the  world."  Perfect  Diurnal,  Feb* 
2Sth,  1 64s). 


76  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 

order  of  St.  Dominick,  he  wore  his  habit, ^  as  a  sure  buckler  against 
the  rigor  of  future  judgment,  but  was  interred  in  the  monastery  of 
St.  Francis  of  Cavan,  to  oblige  both  patriarchs. "^ 

It  may  be  that  O'Neill's  death  at  such  a  critical  moment  has  been 
the  principal  reason  for  the  suspicion  of  poison  ;  the  coincidence,  at 
least,  is  strange.  This  much  is  certain,  that  it  was  the  greatest  calam- 
ity that  could  then  Befall  the  Irish  nation.  Many  of  his  clansmen  did 
not  believe  that  he  could  die  at  a  time  when  he  was  so  much  needed, 
"  some  deeming  that  God,  in  his  divine  clemency,  would  not  deal  so 
strait  with  this  poor  nation  as  to  bereave  them  of  this  their  only 
champion  ;  but  rather,  the  world  being  unworthy  of  so  good  a  master- 
piece, lulled  him  to  sleep  and  snatched  him  away  to  some  secret 
corner  of  the  world,  as  another  Elias,  to  keep  him  there  for  future 
better  purposes."  He  had  in  truth  all  the  qualities  that  constitute  a 
leader  of  men  :  a  clear,  sound  judgment,  chivalrous  valor,  bravery  in 
the  field,  skill  in  profiting  of  every  advantage  offered  by  the  enemy, 
caution  which  left  nothing  to  chance,  and  earned  for  him  from  our 
historians  the  title  of  the  Irish  Fabius.  For  seven  years  he  kept  to- 
gether an  army,  created  by  his  own  genius,  without  a  government  at 
his  back,  without  regular  supplies  ;  enforcing  discipline  and  obedience, 
gaining  victories,  and  maintaining  a  native  power  even  in  the  very 
heart  of  the  kingdom.  Always  intent  on  the  welfare  of  his  country, 
he  rose  high  above  the  petty  jealousies  and  intrigues  that  surrounded 
him.  In  nothing  did  he  show  more  magnanimity  than  in  the  noble 
self-denial  that  made  him  sink  his  own  greatness  and  follow  the  lead- 
ership of  those  whom  he  knew  to  be  his  inferiors.  Early  in  1648  he 
wrote  to  Lord  Muskerry  :  "  I  do  protest,  swear,  and  vow  before 
Almighty  God,  that  I  never  harboured  the  least  thought  of  ambition 
in  anything  yet,  but  that  which  I  assuredly  thought  and  imagined  to 
redound  to  the  freedom,  preservation,  and  liberty  of  my  King,  country, 
religion,  and  nation  ;  and  that,  during  the  remainder  of  my  days,  no 
private  interest  of  my  own,  neither  love,  hatred,  inducement,  nor  sug- 
gestion of  any  will  persuade  me  to  the  contrary."  When  the  news  of 
Ormonde's  defeat  at  Rathmines  reached  him,  instead  of  rejoicing  at 
the  downfall  of  one  who  had  ever  been  his  bitterest  foe,  he  called  to- 
gether his  officers  and  asked  them  what  they  thought  best  to  be  done 
as  affairs  then  stood.  They  all  submitted  to  his  better  judgment. 
"Gentlemen,"  he  replied,  "  to  show  to  the  world  that  I  value  the  service 
of  my  King  and  the  welfare  of  my  country,  as  I  always  did,  I  now  for- 
get and  forgive  the  Supreme  Council  and  my  enemies  their  ill  practices 
and  all  the  wrongs  they  did  me  from  time  to  time ;  and  I  will  now 
embrace  that  peace  which  I  formerly  denied  out  of  good  intention." 

'  "  Whereas  in  this  province  (Ireland)  the  pious  practice  has  grown  up,  that  tlie  faitii- 
ful  of  both  sexes  should  wear  the  religious  habit  of  the  different  orders,  each  one  according 
to  his  devotion,  and  desire  to  die  wearing  it,  we  grant  to  all  those  who  shall  wear  our  hahic 
or  scapular,  that  they  shall  be  sharers  in  all  the  blessings  (beneficia)  and  in  the  good  works 
done  throughout  the  whole  order."  See  Acts  of  the  General  Chapter  of  the  Dominican 
Order  held  in  Rome  in  1644,  in  /fib.  Dom.,  p.  116. 

-  Aphor.  Disc,  vol.  ii.  p.  62.  Colonel  H.  T.  O'Neill  says  he  was  buried  in  the  old  Fran- 
cisan  monastery  of  Cavan.  Desid.-Ciir.  Hib.  vol.  ii.  p.  521.  There  is  a  tradition  in  Cavan 
that  his  burial-place  was  concealed  lest  it  should  be  violated  by  the  English. 


CROMnXLL   ly  IRELAND.  IT 


Only  a  few  days  before  his  death  he  wrote  the  following  touching 
letter  to  Ormonde  :  — 

"  May  it  please  your  Excellency, — 

"  Being  now  on  my  death-bed,  without  any  great  hope  of  my  recovery, 
I  call  my  Saviour  to  witness  that  (as  I  hope  for  salvation)  my  resolution,  ways,  and 
intentions,  from  first  to  last  in  these  unhappy  wars,  tended  to  no  particular  aml)ition 
or  private  interest  of  mine  own  (notwithstanding  what  was  or  may  be  thought  of  to 
tiie  contrary),  but  truly  and  sincerely  to  the  jMcservation  of  my  religion,  the  advance- 
ment of  ids  i\Iajesty's  service,  and  the  just  liberties  of  this  nation;  whereof,  and' 
i)f  niv  ]iar(icular  reality  and  willingness  to  serve  your  Excellency  above  any  other 
in  this  kingdom,  I  hope  that  God  will  permit  me  to,  give  ample  and  sufficient  testi- 
mony in  the  view  of  the  world  ere  it  be  long.  However,  if  in  the  interim  God 
pleaseth  to  call  me  away,  I  do  most  seriously  recommend  to  your  Excellency's  care 
my  son  and  heir,  Colonel  Henry  O'Nei'll,  praying  and  desiring  that  your  Excellency 
may  be  favorably  pleased  not  only  to  prescribe  a  present  course  that  he  may  partic- 
ipate of  the  late  peace,  but  also  of  the  benefit  of  such  conditions,  concessions,  and 
creation  as  his  Majesty  intended  for  me  and  was  assured  for  me  by  your  Excellency 
in  his  Majesty's  name,  by  an  instrument  bearing  date  Kilkennv,  the  29th  of  Sep- 
temiier  last.  And  that,  in  case  of  my  death,  your  Excellency  will  not  only  assure 
!iim  thereof  under  hand  and  seal,  but  likewise  by  aiding  and  assisting  him  in  the 
timely  prociu'cment  thereof.  And  in  so  doing  your  Excellency  will  highly  oblige 
me,  my  said  son,  and  the  posterity  of 

"  Your  Excellency's  most  humble  servant, 

Owen  O'Neill."' 

Little  is  known  of  the  earlier  part  of  O'Neill's  life.  He  seems 
to  have  left  Ireland  in  his  infancy.  An  entry  in  the  records  of  the 
College  of  Salamanca  shows  he  studied  there  ;  it  states  also  that 
Eugenius  Rufus  O'Neill  had  been  appointed  to  a  sergeancy  of  hal- 
berdiers, the  foot-guards  of  the  Spanish  monarchs.  He  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Netherlands,  probably  about  1625.  In  the  State  Paper 
Office  is  a  "  List  of  Irishmen  abroad,"  sent  in  by  some  one  of  the 
numberless  spies  whom  the  English  kept  constantly  employed  in 
foreign  countries,  "th^t  might  be  dangerous  to  the  peace  of  Ireland 
in  the  event  of  a  war  with  Spain  ;  they  have  been  long  providing  of 
arms  for  any  attempt  against  Ireland,  and  have  in  readiness  five  or 
six  thousand  arms  laid  up  in  Antwerp  for  that  purpose,  bought  out  of 
the  deduction  of  their  monthly  pay  ;  and  it  is  thought  they  have  now 
doubled  that  proportion  by  this  means,"  From  internal  evidence  it  is 
jirobable  that  this  list  was  made  out  about  1640.^  Among  the  names 
we  find  that  of  Owen  O'Neill,  sergeant-major  of  the  Irish  regiment. 
He  learned  the  science  of  war  in  "  that  great  school  of  Mars,"  the 
Low  Countries,  and  won  the  highest  distinctions  in  the  Spanish  serv- 
ice.3     He  left  rank  and' station  abroad  at  the  call  of  his  countrymen, 

1  CarU  MSS.,  vol.  xxvi.  p.  49.  The  promise  alluded  to  above  was  that  he  should  have 
the  title  of  ICarl  of  Tyrone.     See  Account  of  the  Carte  MSS.,  p.  121. 

"  This  very  curious  document  is  given  in  the  Nation  of  February  5th,  1S59. 

'  An  account  of  his  gallant  defence  of  Arras  against  the  French,  in  16,0,  is  ;;iven  in 
the  appendix  to  O'Connor's  History  of  the  Irish  Brigades,  p.  437.  The  articles  for  the  sur- 
render of  Arras,  between  the  generals  of  Louis  XIII.  tnd  Owen  O'Neill,  connnandcr  of  the 
town  for  King  Pliijip  of  Spain,  are  given  in  Afhor.  Disc.,  vol.  i.  p.  352,  appendix  xvii.  lie 
landed  at  Castle  Doe,  on  the  coast  of  Donegal,  July  13th,  1642,  "having  come  by  sea  from 
Dunkirk  and  taken  on  his  way  two  prizes;  he  came  with  many  commanders,  c)ld  beaten 
soldiers  of  his  own  regiment  in  Flanders  ;  and  for  his  security  during  his  abode  there  did 
man  Castle  Doe."     Author.  Disc.  vol.  i.  p.  43. 


78  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


to  aid  them  in  the  struggle  for  their  rights.  On  his  coming  to  Ire- 
land he  was  welcomed  with  joy,  and  called  on  by  the  unanimous  voice 
of  the  people  to  be  their  leader  :  — 

Owen  Roe — our  own  O'Neill! 

He  treads  once  more  our  land  ; 
The  sword  in  his  hand  is  Spanish  steel, 

But  the  hand  is  an  Irish  hand. 

When  General  Leslie  expressed  to  him  regret  that  a  person  of 
his  experience  and  reputation  abroad  should  come  to  Ireland  to  second 
so  bad  a  cause,  and  besought  him  earnestly  to  return  whence  he  had 
come,  he  replied  with  scorn,  that  he  had  more  reason  to  come  to 
relieve  the  deplorable  state  of  Jiis  country  than  he  had  to  march  at 
the  head  of  an  army  to  England  against  his  King,  to  force  him  to 
give  unreasonable  conditions  to  himself  and  his  countrymen  at  a  time 
when  all  Scotland  was  their  own.  Father  Luke  Wadding  sent  to  him 
from  Rome  the  sword  ^  of  his  ancestor,  the  great  Red  Hugh,  that 
spread  terror  among  the  foe  at  the  Yellow  Ford,  and  well  and  bravely 
did  he  wield  it  for  faith  and  fatherland.  In  the  forty. battles  which 
he  fought  against  the  English,  only  once  did  he  suffer  defeat.  No 
treachery  or  inhumanity  ever  sullied  his  victories.  At  the  battle  of 
Benburb,  gained  with  far  inferior  numbers  by  his  skill  and  gallantry, 
3,000  Scots  were  left  dead  on  the  field,  and  many  more  were  slain  in 
the  pursuit.  "The  Lord  hath  rubbed  shame  on  our  faces,  till  we  are 
humbled,"  wrote  their  general,  Monroe.  On  the  side  of  the  Irish 
only  seventy  fell.^  The  colors  taken  from  the  enemy,  thirty-two  in 
number,  were  sent  by  F.  Hartegan,  S.  J.,  to  Rinuccini,  then  in  Lim- 
erick. They  were  borne  in  solemn  procession  to  St.  Mary's  Cathedral, 
where  a  Te  Deum  was  sung  in  the  Nuncio's  presence  in  thanksgiving 
for  the  success  that  the  God  of  Hosts  had  granted  to  the  Catholic 
army.  Had  the  confederate  leaders  united  with  him  then,  and  allowed 
him  to  follow  up  this  victory  ;  or  even  now,  had  he  been  spared  to 
meet  Cromwell  under  the  walls  of  Drogheda,  or  to  carry  out  the  plan 
of  defence  which  he  urged  Ormonde  to  adopt,  viz.,  to  avoid  an  open 
engagement  unless  at  a  great  advantage,  and  to  defend  the  mountain 
passes  of  Wicklow  and  retard  the  enemy's  advance  until  the  winter 
should  set  in ;  ^  like  his  Roman  model. 


1  "This  heirloom,"  says  Rinuccini,  "was  accompanied  with  the  papal  blessing  for 
Don  Eugenio,  and  so  irritated  Preston  and  his  Anglo-Irish  adherents,  that  they  gave  out 
that  his  Holiness'  next  gift  to  Eugenio  will  be  a  crown."  Ahtnziatitra,  p.  309.  It  was  brought 
over  by  Massari,  dean  of  Fermo,  who  came  to  Ireland  in  1647. 

2  June  5th,  1646.  See  an  account  of  this  battle  in  Aphor.  Disc.  vol.  i.  p.  113; 
Transactions  of  the  Ossory  Archaol.  Soc,  vol.  i.  p.  307  ;  Kilkenny,  1879,  and  Rinuccini's  Em- 
bassy, p.  173.  Even  his  enemies  said  he  was  the  best  soldier  and  the  wisest  man  among  the 
Irish  rebels.     Clarenden's  Kebillion,  vol.  ii.  p.  614. 

8  "  He  would  not  have  Cromwell  fought  with  but  upon  great  advantages,  for  he  be- 
lieves our  men  are  much  out  pf  heart,  and  that  the  passes  and  season  must  beat  Cromwell 
more  than  any  forces  we  can  bring  against  him."  Letter  of  Daniel  O'Neill  to  Inchiqum, 
25th  Sept.,  1649,  in  Aphor.  Disc,  vol.  iii.  p.  277,  appendix  Ix.wi. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  H) 

Wliose  wise  delay 

Restored  the  fortunes  of  the  day, 

he  migh*".  have  saved  his  country.^     But  it  was  not  to  be. 

He  lived  for  Erin's  weal,  but  died  for  Erin's  woe. 

Finding  himself  unable  to  advance,  he  ordered  his  favorite  ofTicer, 
Lieutenant-general  Ferrall,  to  take  3,000  of  his  men  and  march  with 
all  jiossible  haste  to  the  help  of  Ormonde.  The  country  through 
which  they  had  to  pass  was  full  of  marshes  and  lakes  ;  and  supjDlics 
were  so  difficult  to  be  had,  that  the  men  were  obliged  to  scatter  far 
and  wdde.  Their  advance  was,  in  consequence,  so  much  retarded, 
that  it  was  only  on  the  25th  of  October  they  reached  Kilkenny.^  Most 
of  those  that  remained  in  the  north  continued  to  serve  under  Heber 
MacMahon  and  the  officers  who  were  in  the  confidence  of  their  for- 
mer leader  ;  but  many  of  them  dispersed  soon  after  his  death,  and 
never  after  reassembled.^ 

1  All  writers,  even  the  sceptical  Dr.  O'Conor,  of  Stowe,  admit  that  had  Owen  Roe 
lived,  he  would  have  saved  Ireland.  Appendix  to  Davis'  Poemi,  p.  221  ;  Dublin,  1859. 
Here  is  a  specimen  of  the  way  in  which  history  is  sometimes  written  :  "  Owen  i  oe  O'Neill 
is  the  only  one  of  the  Irish  leaders  of  parties  in  Ireland  then  who,  by  his  successful  audacity 
and  his  contiimal  defections,  has  obtained  any  name  in  history.  Guizot's  Hist,  of  Oliver 
Crotrrwcl/,  p.  46.     Et  c'est  ainsi  qu'on  ecrit  Thistoire  ! 

-  "  A  very  considerable  body  of  good  foot  and  very  cheerful  in  the  service."  Ormonde 
to  the  King,  in  Aphor.  Disc,  vol.  ii.  p.  446,  appendix  42. 

'  Owing  to  the  system  of  irregular  warfare  among  the  Irish  and  the  want  of  supplies, 
it  was  difficult  to  keep  an  army  together  for  any  time.  After  the  battle  of  Benburb,  Owen 
Roe's  army  dispersed  over  Monaghan,  Cavan,  Leitrim,  and  Longford,  until  the  crops  should 
be  ripe.     Journal  of  Sir  Phelim  O'Neill,  in  Haverty's  Hist,  of  Ireland,  p.  562. 


80  CROMWELL   IN-  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE    MARCH    TO  WEXFORD. 

Cromwell's  Plan  —  Capture  of  Killincarrick — Cromwell's  Plot  —  Capture  of  Limbrick, 
Ferns,  and  Enniscorthy — Wallop —  lincampment  before  Wexford  —  Spirit  of  the  Citi- 
zens—  The  Garrison  Reinforced  —  The  Governor — Summons  to  Surrender — The 
Reply; — The  Batteries  Planted  —  Propositions  of  the  Governor  —  Cromwell's  Answer. 

Less  than  a  fortnight  after  his  return  from  Drogheda  Cromwell 
set  out  on  his  expedition  to  the  south.  Winter  was  fast  approaching  ; 
no  time  could  be  lost  if  the  southern  part  of  the  island  was  to  be 
subdued.  Besides,  it  was  of  the  utmost  importance  to  follow  up  the 
blow  that  had  been  so  successfully  struck  at  Drogheda,  and  to  prevent 
by  a  rapid  advance  the  union  of  the  scattered  forces  of  the  Irish, 
which  a  sense  of  their  common  danger  and  the  presence  of  so  fierce 
an  enemy  could  not  fail  to  bring  about,  as  soon  as  they  had  recovered 
from  the  panic  wrought  by  the  late  atrocities. 

Before  he  set  out,  "  he  caused  many  taxes  to  be  taken  off  that 
were  laid  upon  the  well-affected  English  Protestants  about  Dublin  ; 
whereupon  he  gained  exceedingly  upon  the  good  affection  of  the 
people  ;  and  divers  of  the  gentlemen  of  Ireland  voluntarily  tendered 
their  services  to  him,  and  at  their  own  charge  rode  along  with  his  life- 
guard.^ Major  Byrne  reckoned  that  "  he  had  four  great  pieces,  the 
one  of  66  bullet,  the  second  of  44  bullets,  the  other  of  36  bullets  apiece, 
and  two  small  pieces  of  12  bullet  apiece  ;  4,000  effective  foot,  whereof 
some  are  intended  to  be  left  at  Wexford  ;  1,200  horses  and  400  dra- 
goons." He  chose  Colonel  Michael  Jones  to  act  as  his  lieutenant, 
and  left  in  his  place,  as  governor  of  Dublin,  Colonel  Hewson.  He  took 
the  route  along  the  coast,  in  order  to  secure  direct  communication  at 
all  times  with  England  by  the  capture  and  garrisoning  of  the  seaports.^ 
The  fleet  attended  him  and  kept  within  sight  of  land,  to  support  him 
and  allow  him  to  embark  in  case  he  found  it.  expedient  to  do  so.  The 
proclamation  he  had  issued,  forbidding  the  soldiers  to  take  anything 
from  the  inhabitants  without  payment  under  the  pain  of  death,  made 
the  country  people  bring  to  his  camp  an  abundant  supply  of  provisions. 
He  took  care  to  have  the  report  spread  abroad  that  he  had  come  to 
check  the  arbitrary  power  of  the  nobility,  and  to  restore  to  the  people 
the  free  exercise  of  their  religion.^     Ormonde  ordered  Colonel  Hugh 

^  Per/.  Occur.,  Oct.  5th  to  12th,  in  Croinwdliana,  p.  65. 

2  "  No  hope  of  our  being  quiet  at  sea  unless  the  English  army  by  land  deprive  the 
Irish  of  all  their  harbors  by  taking  the  towns  thereupon,  as  Wexford,  Waterford,  Kinsale, 
Cork,  Limerick,  Galway."     Letter  from  Ireland  in  Per/.  Diurnal,  April  3d  to  9th,  1649. 

8  "  Wexford  being  his  next  design,  he  wrote  to  the  inhabitants,  and  courted  them  to 
submit  to  his  authority  and  to  quit  the  royal  interest,  and  that  they  should  enjoy  all  their 
possessions  and  fortunes,  and  be  as  well  used  as  any  others  under  his  power."  Gale's  His- 
tory of  C0rporations  tn  Ireland,  appendix  cxxv. ;  London,  1834. 


CROMWELL   /A    IRELAND.  81 

Byrne  to  :iiarch  with  the  regiment  of  foot  under  his  command  to 
I'owerscourt,  in  the  county  of  Wicklow,  in  order  to  destroy  all  the 
strongholds  thereabouts  of  which  the  enemy  might  possess  himself ; 
and  to  distress  him  by  preventing  any  one  bringing  supplies,  either 
to  the  army  in  the  field  or  to  the  garrison  in  Dublin.  The  following 
letter  gives  the  details  of  the  march  to  Wexford  : 

"For   the    Honorable   William    Lenthall,    Esquire,  Speaker  of   the    Parliament  of 

England  ;  These : 

]]'cxfoyc!,  \i,ih  October,  1649. 
Sni, 

The  army  marched  from  Dublin  about  the  23d  of  September  into  the  county 
of  Wic.'clow,  where  the  enemy  have  a  garrison  about  fourteen  miles  from  Dublin, 
called  Killincarrick,'  which  they  quitting,  a  company  of  the  army  was  put  therein. 
From  thence  the  army  marched  througli  almost  a  desolate  country  until  it  came  to 
a  passage  of  the  river  Doro,"  about  a  mile  above  the  castle  of  Arklow,  which  was 
the  first  scat  and  honor  of  tlie  Marquis  nf  Ormonde's  family,  which  he  had  strongly 
fortified  :  br.t  it  was,  upon  the  ajiproach  of  the  army,  quitted,  wherein  he  left  another 
company  of  loot." 

Arklow  was  taken  on  the  28th  of  September,  the  guns  having 
fired  at  it  fiom  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  In  the  lower  part 
of  the  town  there  is  a  piece  of  ground  still  called  Cromwell's  Plot. 
It  is  said  that  at  this  time  it  was  held  by  a  namesake  of  the  Lord 
Lieutenant.  Hearing  that  one  bearing  the  same  name  lived  in  the 
town,  Cromwell  had  him  summoned  to  his  presence,  and  asked  him 
what  service  he  could  do  him.  The  other  replied  that  he  wished  for 
nothing  more  than  to  be  left  in  the  quiet  possession  of  his  plot.  This 
Oliver  promised  him,  adding,  "a  poor  man  I  find  you,  and  a  poor  man 
I  leave  you."  Three  months  later  the  town  was  besieged  by  the 
O'Tooles  and  O'Byrnes.  Hewson  set  out  from  Dublin  with  1,000 
horse  and  foot  to  relieve  it  ;  at  his  approach  the  besiegers  retired. 
When  he  had  supplied  it  plentifully  with  provisions  he  returned  to 
Dublin.  It  was  attacked  a  second  time  in  the  following  January. 
The  garrison,  commanded  by  Captain  Harrington,  made  a  sudden 
sally,  and  slew  many  of  the  assailants  ;  the  rest  fled. 

On  his  march  through  Wicklow  he  lost  many  of  his  horse  in  the 
mountain  passes  ;  they  were  eut  off  by  Brian  MacPhclim  O'Byrne's 
party.  Cromwell's  own  horse  and  furniture  were  carried  off  from  the 
camp  by  Christopher  Tuohill  ;  his  father  was  sent  by  Cromwell  to 
offer  him  a  sum  of  j[,\oo  for  the  horse,  "but  for  gold  or  silver  he 
would  not  give  him  back,  but  preferred  to  keep  him  as  a  monument." 

"  From  thence  the  army  marched  towards  Wexford  ;  wherein  on  the  way  was 
a  strong  castle  called  Limbrick,^  the  ancient  seat  of  the  Esmondes,  where  the  enemy 
had   a  strong  garrison,  which   they  burnt  and  quitted   the   day  before  our  coming 

^  Five  miles  bevond  l^ray,  on  the  high  road  to  the  town  of  Wicklow.  The  castle  is 
now  in  ruins.  In  the  Usurper's  time,  Captain  Uarrington,  garrisoned  at  Arklow,  murdered 
Donogh  O'Doy  of  Killincarrick  and  above  500  men,  protected  by  himself.  Pamphlet  pub- 
lished in  London  in  1662,  quoted  by  O'Connell  in  his  Memoir  of  Ireland,  p.  264;  Dublin, 
1S43. 

2  The  Uaragh  joins  the  Avoca  river  four  miles  north-west  of  Arklow. 

s  In  1606  Sir  Laurence  Esnionde  obtained  from  James  I.  a  peerage  and  a  grant  of  the 
manor  of  Limbrick  in  return  for  his  services  to  the  Crown  in  Holland  and  Ireland.     He  ar.d 


82 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


thither.  From  thence  we  marched  towards  Ferns,  an  episcopal  seai,  where  was  a 
castle,'  to  which  I  sent  Colonel  Keyiiolds  with  a  party  to  summon  it,  wh.'ch  accord- 
ingly he  did,  and  it  was  surrendered  to  Idni,'"  where  we,  having  put  a  con.^Many,  ad- 
vanced the  army  to  a  passage  over  the  river  Slaney,  which  runs  down  to  W^wford  ; 
and  that  night  we  marched  into  the  fields  of  a  village  called  Enniscorthy,  belonging 
to  Mr.  Robert  Wallop,  where  was  a  strong  castle,  very  well  manned  and  provided 
for  by  the  enemy  ;  and,  close  under  it,  a  very  fair  house  belonging  to  the  s.ime 
worthy  person,  a  monastery  of  Franciscan  friars,  the  considerablest  in  all  Ireland  : 
they  ran  away  the  night  before  we  came.  We  summoned  the  castle,  and  they  re- 
fused to  yield  at  the  first  ;  but  upon  better  consideration  they  were  willing  to  deli'/er 
the  place  to  us,  which  accordingly  they  did,  leaving  their  great  guns,  arms,  ammu- 
nition and  provisions  behind  them." 

Enniscorthy  was  part  of  the  territory  given  by  Strongbovv  to 
Maurice  de  Prendergast,  one  of  his  companions  in  arms  ;  he  bii'lt  the 
castle.  The  manor  afterwards  came  into  the  possession  of  the  Mac- 
Morroughs,  and  was  given  by  Donald  Cavenagh,  surnamed  the  Brown, 
head  of  his  sept,  to  the  F"ranciscan  monastery  which  he  foi.inded  for 
Friars  Minors  of  the  Strict  Observance,  in  1460.  After  tlie  dissolu- 
tion of  the  religious  houses,  it  was  bestowed  by  Queen  Elizabeth  on 
Sir  Henry  Wallop,  knight,  treasurer  at  war  to  the  Queen  in  Ireland, 
for  his  eminent  services  to  the  crown.''  The  "worth)'  person"  who 
at  this  time  dwelt  in  the  "fair  house,"  was  his  grandson  ;  he  had  been 
member  for  Andover,  one  of  the  judges  presiding  at  the  trial  of  Charles 
I.,  and  member  of  the  Council  of  State.  After  the  Restoration,  he 
was  sentenced  to  be  imprisoned  for  life  in  the  tower  of  London, 
where  he  died  in  1667.*  His  great-grandson  was  created  Earl  of 
Portsmouth  in  1743.^ 

This  castle  was  retaken  soon  after  by  the  following  stratagem. 
Some  Irish  gentlemen  feasted  the  soldiers  of  the  garrison,  and  sent 
in  women  to  sell  them  "strong  water,"  of  which  they  drank  too  much. 
The  Irish  fell  on  them,  took  the  garrison,  and  put  all  the  officers  and 
Captain  Todd,  the  governor,  his  wife,  and  all  his  men  to  the  sword, 
except  four,  who  had  betrayed  the  ])lace  for  a  sum  of  ^7.  Colonel 
Cooke,  the  governor  of  Wexford,  stormed  it,  and  slew  the  whole  of 
the  Irish  garrison  soon  after.  The  Lord  Lieutenant  hearing  of  the 
treachery  of  some  of  the  garrisons,  ordered  that  the  Irish  should  be 
put  out  of  all  those  belonging  to  the  Parliament. 

Sir  William  Parsons  plundered  the  O'Byrnes  of  a  great  part  of  their  territory,  "  a  case," 
says  Carte,  "very  e.xtraordiiiarv,  containing  such  a  scene  of  iniquity  and  cruelty,  that,  con 
sidered  in  all  its  circumstances,  is  scarce  to  he  ])arallcled  in  the  iiistory  of  any  country." 
Lifi;  0/  Ormonde,  vol.  i.  p.  27.     Some  part  of  the  castle  and  bawn-wall  are  still  standing. 

^  One  of  the  finest  of  Anglo-Norman  style  now  found  in  Ireland,  supposed  by  O'Don 
ovan  to  iiave  been  built  by  William  FitzAdelin,  ancestor  of  the  de  Hurgos. 

^  "  The  garrison  left  their  arms,  ammunition  and  jirovisions  behind  tliem,"  Letter  c 
Cromwell  in  Aplior.  Disc,  vol.  ii.  p.  283,  appendi.x  l.v.x.xvii. 

^  He  came  to  Ireland  in  1580.     Later  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  Lords  Justices, 
Commissioner  of   Forfeited  Estates  and  of  the  Munsfer  I'lantation.     He  obtained  from  Si 
John  Perrott  "  three  little  abbeys  and  a  friary  "  in  .A dare.     See  Memorials  of  Adarc,  p.  59. 

■*  He  was  sentenced  to  be  drawn  on  a  sledge  under  Tyburn  gallows  with  a  halter  roun: 
his  neck.  He  owed  his  life  very  jirobably  to  the  fact  tliat  he  had  not  signed  the  warrant  fc 
the  King's  execution.      Hall's  IrfUind,  &c.,  vol.  ii.  p.  171. 

^  His  descendant  Isaac  Newton  Wallop,  fifth  earl  of  Portsmouth,  is  at  present  ownf 
of  ...,198  acres  in  the  county  Wexford,  the  yearly  valuation  of  which  is  ^^9,280.  See  Ti. 
'Landed  Projirietors  of  Ireland,  by  U.  H.  De  Burgh  j  Dublin,  187S. 


CROMWELL   IX  IRELAND.  83 

On  Saturday,  September  29th,  the  Parliamentary  fleet  appeared 
off  the  harbor  of  Wexford  ;  and  the  second  day  after,  October  ist, 
Cromwell  with  his  army  encamped  before  the  walls.  The  possession 
of  this  town  was  most  impoitant  to  him.  It  was* through  it  princi- 
pally that  the  Confederates  obtained  the  necessary  supplies  of  arms 
and  amunition,  and  commimicated  with  their  friends  in  foreign 
countries  ;  for  its  inhabitants,  guided  by  their  faithful  bishop,  Nich- 
olas French,  had  never  for  a  moment  wavered  in  devotion  to  their 
country  and  religion.  There,  too,  he  would  find  secure  anchorage  for 
his  fleet.  The  "  intelligence  he  had  in  the  town  "  made  him  hope  that 
its  capture  would  be  an  easy  task.  "  Hugh  Rochfort,"  says  Carte, 
"a  lawyer,  recorder  of  the  town,  was  now  in  correspondence  with 
Cromwell,  through  Mr.  Nicholas  Loftus,  who  was  at  this  time  a  very 
active  instrument  in  c,. gaging  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  tL>wn  to  be 
subservient  to  Cromwell's  purposes.  Rochfort  carried  on  the  same 
work  with  still  greater  artifice,  pretending  to  be  zealous  for  the  Irish 
cause  ;  and  having  done  all  he  could  to  intimidate  the  townsmen  and 
persuade  them  to  capitulate,  he  c[uitted  the  place  upon  Cromwell's 
approach  and  retired  with  his  goods  to  the  fort  of  Passage,  letting 
them  see  by  that  action  his  own  terror,  and  inviting  them  to  follow 
his  example."^ 

Ormonde  was  aware  of  these  intrigues,  and  had  given  timely 
notice  to  the  Commissioners  of  Trust  of  the  approaching  danger. 
They  relied  on  the  mayor  and  townsmen  ;  but  these  had  little  time 
to  prepare  for  the  defence.  He  was  determined  to  leave  no  means 
untried  to  save  so  important  a  place.  His  forces  had  been  consider- 
ably increased  by  the  arrival  of  1,000  foot  and  300  horse,  which  the 
Marquis  of  Clanricarde  had  sent  to  his  assistance,  under  the  command 
of  Major-General  Lucas  Taaffe.  Two  regiments  of  Inchiquin's  horse 
had  also  joined  him  ;  but  these  he  could  put  little  faith  in,  as  after  the 
capture  of  Drogheda  they  took  every  opportunity  of  deserting  to  the 
enemy.  Inchicpiin  was  hindered  from  coming  by  a  conspiracy  of  his 
officers.  Besides,  the  townsmen  distrusted  Ormonde.  They  knew 
that  often  before  he  had  treated  with  the  enemy  ;  that  he  had  basely 
surrendered  the  capital.  Nor  was  their  confidence  in  him  increased 
when  they  learned  that  he  had  lately  made  common  cause  with  Inchi- 
quin,  who  had  sacked  Cashel  and  slaughtered  some  hundreds  of  his 
countrymen  there.  No  wonder,  then,  that  he  did  not  wish  to  admit 
his  troops,  and  that  they  preferred  to  trust  to  their  own  arms  and  to 
the  justice  of  their  cause.  It  was  only  when  the  fleet  appeared  be- 
fore the  town  that  they  accepted  David  Sinnott,  lieutenant-colonel  of 
I^xston's  regiment,  as  governor  ;  "and  if  Sir  Edmund  Butler,"  says 
Carte,  "  had  not  come  himself,  they  would  have  opposed  Sinnott's 
entrance  with  his  men,  and  delivered  the  town  to  the  enemy  at  the 
first  summons." 

"On  Monday,  being  the  ist  of  October,"  continues  Cromwell,  "we  appeared 
before  Wexford,  into  which  the  enemy  had  put  a  garrison  of  their  army,  the  town 

1  This  is  Carte's  account.  Life  of  Ormoiia'c,  vol.  ii.  p.  91.  Rochford,  like  the  Marquis 
of  Antrim  and  many  others  of  the  old  Irish,  was  anxious  to  come  to  terms  with  CromvtU  . 
relying  more  on  him  than  on  Ormonde.     See  Hill's  MaiDonuells  of  Antrim,  p.  277. 


84  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 

until  tlien  liaving  been  so  confident  of  tlieir  own  strength  that  they  would  not  at  any- 
time suffer  a  garrison  to  be  imposed  upon  them.  The  commander  that  brought 
these  forces  was  David  Sinnott,  who  took  upon  liim  the  command  of  the  town." 

The  following  lett(?i-s  passed  between  the  commanders  \'^ 

(i.)     To  the  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Town  of  Wexford. 

Before  IVexford,  ^^d  October,  1649. 
Sir, 

Having  brought  the  army  belonging  to  the  Parliament  of  England  before 
this  place,  to  reduce  it  to  its  clue  obedience,  to  the  end  effusion  of  blood  may  be 
prevented  and  the  town  and  country  about  jt  preserved  from  ruin,  I  thought  fit  to 
summon  you  to  deliver  the  same  to  me,  to  the  use  of  the  State  of  England.  By 
this  offer  I  hope  it  will  clearly  appear  where  the  guilt  will  lie,  if  innocent  persons 
should  come  to  suffer  with  the  nocent.     I  expect  your  speedy  answer  and  rest, 

Siri  your  servant, 

O.  Cromwell, 

(2.)     For  the  Lord  General  Cromwell.     These  :  — 

Wexford,  id  October,  1649. 
Snt, 

I  have  received  your  letter  of  summons  for  the  delivery  of  this  town  into 
your  hands.  Which  standetk  not  with  my  honor  to  do  myself  ;  neither  will  I  take 
it  upon  me  without  the  advice  of  the  rest  of  the  officers  and  Mayor  of  this  corpora- 
tion, this  town  being  of  so  great  conseciuence  to  all  Ireland.  Wliom  I  will  call 
together  and  confer  with,  and  return  my  resolutions  unto  you  to-morrow  by  twelve 
of  the  clock. 

In  the  meantime,  if  you  be  so  pleased,  I  am  content  to  forbear  all  acts  of 
hostility,  so  you  permit  no  approach  to  be  made.  Expecting  your  answer  in  that 
particular,  I  remain, 

My  Lord, 

Your  Lordship's  servant, 

D.  Sinnott. 

The  mayor  and  aldermen  were  so  courteous,  that  in  the  interval 
before  they  returned  their  positive  answer,  they  sent  Cromwell  a  pres- 
ent of  sack,  strong  waters,  and  strong  beer.  The  next  day  about 
twelve  o'clock,  the  following  answer  was  sent  :  — 

(3.)     To  the  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Town  of  Wexford, 
Sir, 

I  have  received  yonr  resolutions  to  return  your  answers  by  twelve  of  the 
clock  to-morrow  morning,  which  I  agree  unto  ;  but  for  your  other  part  of  your  letter 
to  forbear  all  acts  of  hostility,  I  consider  that  your  houses  are  better  than  our  tents, 
and  so  shall  not  consent  unto  that.     I  rest. 

Sir,  your  servant, 

O.  Cromwell. 

(4.)    For  the  Lord  General  Cromwell. 

Wexford,  ^tlt  October,  1649. 
Sir, 

I  have  advised  with  the  Mayor  and  officers,  as  I  promised;  and  I  am  con- 
tent that  four  whom  I  shall  employ  may  have  a  conference  with  four  of  yours,  to 

^  The  letters  throughout  this  work  are  taken  from  Gary's  memorials  of  the  Civil  War, 
vol.  ii.  p.  168,  &c,,  who  professes  to  give  them  exactly  as  they  are  found  in  the  Tanner  MSS, 
(."ommoiily  they  are  given  as  altered  by  the  parliament  to  adapt  them  better  fur  public  read' 
ing.     The  order  is  the  same  as  that  followed  by  Carlyle. 


CROMWELL  IN'  IRELAND.  85 

see  if  any  agreement  may  he  begot  between  us.  To  this  purpose  I  desire  you  to 
send  mine  a  safe-conduct,  as  I  do  hereby  promise  to  send  to  yours  when  you  send 
me  their  names.  And  I  ])ray  tliat  the  meeting  may  be  had  to-morrow  at  eight 
o'clock  in  the  forenoon,  that  they  may  liave  sufficient  time  to  confer  together  and 
determine  the  matter;  and  that  the  meeting  and  j)Iace  be  agreed  upon,  and  the  safe- 
conduct  mutually  sent  for  the  said  meeting  this  afternoon.  Expecting  your  answer 
hereto,  I  rest,  My  Lord, 

Your  servant, 

D.   SiNNOTT. 

Send  me  the  names  of  your  agents,  their  qualities  and  degrees.  Those  I  fix 
upon  are  :  Major  James  Byrne-,  Major  Theobald  Dillon,  Alderman  Nicholas  Chev- 
ers,  Mr.  William  Stafford. 

(5.)     To  the  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Town  of  Wexford. 

Before  Wexford,  ^ih  October,  1649. 
Sir, 

Having  summoned  you  to  deliver  the  town  of  Wexford  into  my  hands,  I 
might  well  expect  the  delivery  thereof,  and  not  a  formal  treaty  ;  which  is  seldom 
granted  ])ut  where  things  stand  upon  a  more  equal  foot. 

If,  therefore,  yourself  or  the  town  have  any  desires  to  offer,  upon  which  you 
will  surrender  the  place  to  me,  I  shall  be  able  to  judge  of  the  reasonableness  of 
them  when  they  are  made  known  to  me.  To  which  end,  if  you  shall  think  fit  to 
send  tlie  persons  named  in  your  last,  intrusted  by  yourself  and  the  town,  by  whom 
I  may  untler.stand  your  desires,  I  shall  give  you  a  speedy  and  fitting  answer,  and  I 
do  hereby  engage  myself  that  they  sliall  return  in  safety  to  you. 

I  expect  your  answer  hereunto  within  an  hour  ;  and  rest  your  servant, 

O.  Cromwell. 

(6.)     For  the  Lord  General  Cromwell. 

Wexford,  i,th  October,  1649. 
Sir, 

I  have  returned  you  a  civil  answer  to  the  best  of  my  judgment ;  and  thereby 
I  find  you  undervalue  me  and  tiiis  place  so  much,  that  you  thmk  lo  have  it  sur- 
rendered without  capitulation  or  honorable  terms,  as  appears  by  the  hour's  limitation 
in  your  last. 

Sir,  had  I  never  a  man  in  this  town  but  the  townsmen  and  the  artillery  here 
jilantcd,  I  should  conceive  myself  in  a  very  Iicfitting  condition  to  make  honoraijle 
conditions.  And  having  a  consideral>le  party  with  them  in  the  jjlace,  I  am  resolved 
to  die  honorably,  or  make  such  conditions  as  may  secure  my  honor  and  life  in  the 
eyes  of  my  own  party. 

To  wliich  reasonable  terms  if  you  hearken  not,  or  give  me  time  to  send  my 
agents  till  eight  o'clock  in  the  forenoon  to-morrow  with  my  propositions,  with  a 
further  safe-conduct,  I  leave  you  to  your  better  judgment  and  myself  to  the  assist- 
ance of  the  Almighty ;  and  so  conclude.     Your  servant, 

D.   SiNNOTT. 

To  this  letter  Cromwell  returned  no  answer.  The  following  day 
the  Governor  again  made  overtures  to  him. 

(7.)     For  the  Lord  General  Cromwell. 

Wexford,  ^th  October,  1649. 
Sir, 

My  propositions  being  now  prepared,  I  am  ready  to  send  my  agents  with 
them  to  you  ;  and  for  their  safe  return,  I  pray  you  to  send  a  safe-conduct  by  the 
bearer  to  me,  in  the  hope  an  honorable  agreement  may  thereupon  arise  between 
your  Lordship  and,  my  Lord,  your  Lordship's  servant, 

U.  SiNNOTT. 


83  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 

A  permit  was  accordingly  given,  allowing  the  agents  to  come  and 
return  in  safety. 

While  these  papers  were  passing  between  us,"  continues  Cromwell,  "  I  sent 
the  Lieutenant-Ceneral  with  a  party  of  dragoons,  horse  and  foot,  to  endeavor  to 
reduce  their  fort  which  lay  at  the  mouth  of  their  harbor,  about  ten  miles  distant  from 
us.  To  which  he  sent  a  troop  of  dragoons  ;  but  the  enemy  quitted  their  fort,  leaving 
behind  them  about  seven  great  guns,  and  betook  themselves,  bv  help  of  their  boats, 
to  a  frigate  of  12  guns  lying  in  the  harbor  within  cannon-shot  of  the  fort.  The  dra- 
goons possessed  the  fort ;  and  some  seamen  belonging  to  your  fleet  coming  happily 
in  at  the  same  lime,  they  bent  their  guns  at  the  frigate,  and  siie  immediately  yielded 
to  mercy,  both  herself,  the  soldiers  that  had  been  in  the  fort,  and  the  seamen  that 
manned  her.  And  whilst  our  men  were  in  her,  the  town,  not  knowing  what  had 
happened,  sent  another  small  vessel  to  her,  which  our  men  also  took." 

Meanwhile  he  was  investing  the  town  closely  on  the  south  and 
west.  Alarmed  at  such  formidable  preparations,  the  townsmen  asked 
Ormonde  to  give  them  further  reinforcements.  The  next  day  he  sent 
to  their  aid  another  Ulster  regiment,  under  the  command  of  Lord 
Iveagh,^  in  all  1,500  men.  Lord  Castlehaven,  who  knew  the  country, 
escorted  them  with  200  horse.  "  Taking  a  great  compass,  he  came 
before  day  to  the  ferry  near  Sir  Thomas  Esmonde's  house  at  Bally- 
brenan.  The  foot  crossed  the  arm  of  the  sea  in  boats  and  entered 
the  town  by  the  only  side  still  open.  Castlehaven  returned  with  the 
horse  to  Ormonde.  After  their  arrival,  Sinnott  sent  out  the  following 
despatch  : 

(8.)     For  the  Lord  General  Cromwell. 

Wexford,  ^th  Ociobe?-,  1649. 
My  Lord, 

Even  as  I  was  ready  to  send  out  my  agents  to  you,  the  Lord  General  of  the 
horse  came  hither  with  relief.  Unto  whom  I  communicated  the  proceedings  be- 
tween your  Lordship  and  me,  and  delivered  to  him  the  propositions  I  intended  to 
despatch  unto  your  Lordship,  who  hath  desired  a  small  time  to  consider  them  and 
to  speed  them  unto  me,  which,  my  Lord,  1  could  not  deny,  he  having  a  command- 
ing power  over  me.  , 

Pray,  my  Lord,  believe  that  I  do  not  do  this  to  trifle  out  time,  but  for  his 
present  content ;  and  if  I  find  any  long  delay  in  his  Lordship's  returning  them  back 
unto  me,  I  will  proceed  of  myself  according  to  my  first  intention  ;  to  which  I  be- 
seech your  Lordship  give  credit,  at  the  request. 

My  Lord,  of  your  Lordship's  ready  servant, 

D.  Sinnott. 

(9.)     To  the  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Town  of  We.xford. 

Wexford,  6th  October,  1649. 

Sir, 

You  might  have  spared  your  trouble  in  the  account  you  give  me  of  your 
transaction  with  the  Lord  General  of  your  horse,  and  of  your  resolutions  in  case  he 

1  This  was  Arthur  Viscount  Magennis  of  Iveagh,  who  was  attainted  in  1642.  In 
Cromwell's  self-denying  ordinance  he  was  excepted  from  pardon  for  life  and  estate  ;  he  was 
afterward  restored.  The  territory  of  the  Magennis  tribe  included  the  whole  of  Down  ;  it 
was  limited  at  a  later  period  to  Ilyveagh,  a  territory  of  Dalriada,  in  the  county  of  Down, 
now  forming  part  of  the  baronies  of  Upper  and  Lower  Iveagh,  with  some  other  parts  of 
the  same  county  including  Moy  Innis,  now  the  barony  of  Lecale.  M'Geunhegan's  Nisf^ry  of 
Ireland,  \>\).  1 19  and  121  ;  O'Callaghan's  History  of  the  Irish  Biii;ades  in  the  Service  of  F)a>ue, 
p.  330  n.  ;  Glasgow,  1870.  JJryan  Viscount  Iveagh  was  a  colonel  in  the  Irish  army  of  James 
II. ;  at  the  end  of  the  war  he  entered  die  Austrian  service.     He  died  without  issue.     Ibid, 


CROMWELL   IN-  IRELAND. 


answered  not  your  expectation  in  point  of  time.  These  are  your  own  concernments, 
and  it  behooves  you  to  improve  them,  and  tlie  relief  you  mention  to  your  best  ad- 
vantage. 

All  that  I  have  to  say  is,  to  desire  you  to  take  notice,  that  I  do  hereby  revoke 
my  safe  conduct  from  the  persons  mentioned  therein.  When  you  shall  see  cause 
to  treat,  you  may  send  for  another.     I  rest,  Sir, 

Your  servant, 

O.  Croaiwell. 

The  same  day  Cromwell  landed  his  artillery  and  stores,  and 
began  to  erect  a  battery  that  would  command  the  ferry  and  prevent 
all  communication  with  the  town.  The  position  which  he  chose  wa.'" 
the  rising  ground  to  the  south  of  the  town,  now  occupied  by  th( 
residence  of  Mr.  Cormack  and  still  known  as  Cromwell's  Fort.  / 
battery  of  four  guns  was  erected  on  the  top  of  the  Trcspan  RocL 
close  by.^  The  governor  was  in  some  apprehension  for  the  safety  of 
the  place,  chiefly  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  supplies.  But  if  a 
body  of  five  hundred  men,  well  su]:)plied  with  i)rovisions,  was  sent 
him,  he  made  no  question  of  defending  it  against  the  enemy,  who 
began  already  to  suffer  for  want  of  forage.  Ormonde  resolved  to 
attempt  the  relief  of  the  place  in  person.  Leaving  General  Taaffe 
with  a  Connaught  regiment  to  garrison  Ross,  he  set  out  with  the  rest 
of  his  army,  and  crossing  the  Slaney,  came  on  the  evening  of  October 
nth  to  the  ferry  on  the  north  side  of  the  town.  He  sent  a  message 
to  the  mayor,  that  he  had  come  to  give  the  townsmen  any  further 
help  they  pleased.  Some  of  the  aldermen  came  to  express  their 
thanks,  and  declared  they  were  willing  to  receive  any  number  of  men 
he  might  wish  to  send.  Sir  Edmund  Butler,  governor  of  the  county, 
succeeded  in  entering  the  town  with  300  foot  and  100  horse  ;  on 
account  of  his  great  experience  and  well-known  bravery  he  was 
appointed  military  governor  of  the  town  with  the  consent  of  the 
townsmen. 

The  batteries  were  ready  for  action  on  the  evening  of  the  loth. 
At  an  early  hour  the  following  morning  they  began  to  play  on  the 
castle,  which  stood  outside  the  walls  on  the  south  side  of  the  town. 
Against  this  the  besiegers  directed  the  whole  force  of  their  artillery, 
seeing  that  if  it  was  captured,  the  town  would  soon  follow.  By  noon 
the  battlements  of  the  castle  were  beaten  down,  and  three  great 
breeches  were  made  in  two  of  the  towers.  When  about  a  hundred 
shots  were  fired,  "the  Governor's  stomach  came  down."  He  de- 
manded a  parley,  and  asked  that  four  persons  chosen  by  him  should 
go  out  and  propose  certain  terms  of  surrender. 

(10.)     For  the  Lord  General  Cromwell. 

Wexford,  1 1  //•  October,  1 649. 
My  Lord, — 

In  performance  of  my  last,  I  desire  your  Lordship  to  send  me  a  safe  con- 
duct for  Major  Theobald  Dillon,  Major  James  Byrne,  Alderman  Nicholas  Chevers, 
and  Captain  James  Stafford,  whom  I  will  send  to  your  Lordship  instructed  with 
my  desires.     And  so  I  rest. 

My  Lord,  your  servant, 

D.   SiNNOTT. 

1  The  breastwork  of  this  battery  was  standing  up  to  the  year  1829.  It  has  been 
effaced  since  by  the  working  of  the  quarry  near. 


8b  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


"Which  desire  I  condescending  to,"  says  Cromwell  in  the  letter  to  the 
Speaker  of  the  parliament,  "two  lield  officers  with  an  alderman  of  the  town  and 
the  captain  of  the  castle,  brought  out  the  following  propositions,  which  for  their 
abominableness,  manifesting  also  the  impudence  of  the  men,  I  thought  fit  to  present 
to  your  view,  together  with  n\y  answer  :" 

"  T/ie  propositions  of  Colonel  David  Sitinoit,  Governor  of  tlie  town  and  castle  of 
Wexford  and  on  behalf  of  the  officers,  soldiers,  and  i'nhabitants  in  the  ^aid 
town  and  castle,  to  General  Cromwell :  — 

"  I.  That  all  and  every  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  town  from  time  to  time, 
and  at  all  times  hereafter,  shall  have  free  and  uninterrupted  liberty  publicly  to  use, 
exercise,  and  profess  the  Roman  Catholic  religion,  without  restriction,  mulct,  or 
penalty,  any  law  or  statue  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding. 

"  2.  That  the  regular  and  secular  Roman  Catholic  clergy  now  possessed  of 
the  churches,  church-livings,  monasteries,  religious  houses,  and  chapels  in  the  said 
town  and  in  the  suburbs  and  franchises  thereof,  and  their  successors,  shall  have, 
hold,  and  enjoy  to  them  and  their  successors  for  ever  the  said  churches,  &c.,  and 
shall  teach  and  preach  in  them  publicly,  without  any  molestation,  any  law  or  statute 
to  the  contrary  notwithstanding. 

"3.  That  Nicholas,  now  Lord  Bishop  of  Ferns,  and  his  successors,  shall  use 
and  exercise  such  jurisdiction  over  the  Catholics  of  his  diocese  as  since  his  conse- 
cration hitherto  he  used. 

"4.  That  all  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  whatever  quality  and  degree  soever 
in  the  said  town  and  castle,  and  such  of  the  inhabitants  as  are  so  pleased,  shall 
march  with  flying  colors,  and  be  conveyed  safe  with  their  lives,  artillery,  ordnance, 
ammunition,  arms,  goods  of  all  sorts,  horses,  moneys,  and  whatever  else  belongs  to 
them,  to  the  town  of  Ross  and  there  to  be  left  safe  with  their  own  party  ;  allowing 
each  musketeer  towards  their  march  a  pound  of  powder,  four  yards  of  match,  and 
twelve  brace  of  bullets;  and  a  strong  convoy  to  be  sent  with  the  said  soldiers, 
within  twenty-four  hours  after  the  yielding  up  of  the  said  town. 

"  5.  That  such  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  town  as  will  desire  to  leave  the 
same  at  any  time  hereafter,  shall  have  free  liberty  to  carry  away  out  of  the  said 
town  all  their  frigates,  artillery,  arms,  powder,  corn,  malt,  ancf  other  provisions  which 
they  have  for  their  defence  and  sustenance,  and  all  their  goods  and  chattels,  of 
what  quality  or  condition  soever,  without  any  manner  of  disturbance  whatsoever, 
and  have  passes  and  safe-conducts  and  convoys  for  their  lives  and  said  goods  to 
Ross,  or  where  else  they  siiall  think  fit. 

"  6.  That  the  mayor,  bailiffs,  free  burgesses,  and  commons  of  the  said  town  may 
have,  hold,  and  enjoy  the  said  town  and  suburbs,  their  commons,  their  franchises, 
liberties  and  immunities,  which  hitherto  they  enjoyed;  and  that  the  mayor,  bailiffs, 
and  free  burgesses  may  have  the  government  of  the  said  town,  as  hitherto  they 
enjoyed  the  same  from  the  realm  of  luigland,  and  that  they  have  no  other  govern- 
ment, they  adhering  to  the  State  of  England  and  observing  their  orders  and  the 
orders  of  their  governors  in  this  realm  for  the  time  being. 

"7.  That  all  the  burgesses  and  inhabitants,  either  native  or  strangers,  of  the 
said  town,  who  shall  continue  their  abode  therein,  or  come  to  live  there  within  three 
months,  and  their  heirs  shall  have,  hold,  and  enjoy  their  several  'castles,  houses, 
lands,  tenements,  and  hereditaments  within  the  land'  of  Ireland,  and  all  their  goods 
and  chattels,  to  them  and  their  heirs  to  their  own  several  uses  for  ever  without 
molestation. 

"  8.  That  such  burgess  or  burgesses,  or  other  inhabitants  of  the  said  towns, 
as  shall  at  any  time  hereafter  be  desirous  to  leave  the  said  town,  shall  have  free 
leave  to  dispose  of  their  real  and  personal  estates  respectively  to  their  best  advan- 
tage ;  and  further,  have  full  liberty  and  a  safe-conduct  respectively  to  go  into  Eng- 
land or  elsewhere,  according  to  their  several  pleasures  who  shall  desire  to  depart 
the  same. 

"9.  That  all  and  singular  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  town,  either  native  or 
strangers,  from  time  to  time,  and  at  all  times  hereafter,  shall  have,  reap,  and  enjoy 
the  full  liberty  of  free-born  English  subjects,  without  the  least  incapacity  or  restric- 
tion therein  ;  and  that  all  the  freemen  of  the  said  town  shall  be  as  free  in  all  tlie 
seaports,  cities,  and  towns  in  England,  as  the  freemen  of  all  and  every  the  said 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  89 

cities  and  towns  ;  and  all  and  every  tlie  said  freemen  of  the  said  cities  and  towns 
to  be  as  free  in  their  said  town  of  Wexford  as  the  freemen  thereof,  for  their  greater 
encouragement  to  trade  and  commerce  together  on  all  hands. 

"  ID.  That  no  memory  remain  of  any  hostility  or  distance,  whicli  was  hitherto 
between  the  said  town  and  castle  on  the  one  part,  and  the  Parliament  or  State  of 
England  on  the  other  part;  but  that  all  acts,  transgressions,  offences,  depredattDns, 
and  other  crimes  of  what  nature  and  quality  soever,  be  they  ever  so  transcendent, 
attem])ted  or  done,  or  supposed  to  be  attempted  or  done,  by  the  inhabitants  of  the 
said  town  or  any  other,  heretofore  or  at  present  adhering  to  the  said  town,  either 
native  or  stranger,  and  every  of  them,  shall  pass  in  oblivion,  without  chastisement, 
challenge,  recompense,  demand,  or  questioning  for  them  or  any  of  them,  now  or  at 
any  lime  hereafter." 

(ii.)     For  the  Commander-in-Chief  in  the  town  of  Wexford. 

Before  Wexford,  wth  October,  1649. 
"Sir, 

"  I  have  had  the  patience  to  peruse  your  propositions  ;  to  which  I  might 
have  returned  an  answer  with  some  disdain.  But,  to  be  short,  I  shall  give  the 
soldiers  and  non-commissioned  officers  quarter  for  life,  and  leave  to  go  to  their 
several  habitations,  with  their  wearing  clothes;  they  engaging  themselves  to  take 
up  arms  no  more  against  the  Parlia.ment  of  England  ;  and  the  commissioned  officers 
for  their  lives,  but  to  render  themselves  prisoners.  And  as  for  the  inhabitants,  I 
shall  engage  myself  that  no  violence  shall  be  offered  to  their  goods,  and  that 
I  shall  protect  their  town  from  plunder. 

"I  expect  your  positive  answer  instantly  ;  and  if  you  will  upon  these  terms 
surrender  and  quit,  and  in  one  hour  send  to  me  four  officers  of  the  quality  of  field- 
officers  and  two  aldermen,  for  the  performance  thereof,  I  shall  thereupon  forbear  all 
acts  of  hostility. 

"  Your  servant, 

"  Oliver  Cromwell." 


90  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE    CAPTURE    OF  WEXFORD. 

Courage  of  tlie  Townsmen — Discoid  —  Treachery  of  Stafford  —  Surrender  of  the  Castle  — 
Entrance  of  the  Besiegers  —  Massacre  of  the  Inhabitants  —  Contemporary  Writers  — 
Letter  of  Dr.  French  —  His  Apologia  —  Massacre  of  the  Franciscans  —  "They  knelt 
around  the  cross  divine"  —  Terror  of  the  Commissioners  of  Trust  —  Ormonde's  Plans. 

As  soon  as  the  inhabitants  of  Wexford  learned  the  answer  to  the 
terms  of  surrender  proposed  by  the  Governor,  they  prepared  them- 
selves for  a  stern  resistance.  To  the  soldiers,  quarter  and  liberty  ; 
to  the  officers,  quarter,  but  not  liberty ;  and  to  the  inhabitants  free- 
dom from  pillage  :  these  were  the  conditions  on  which  the  town  should 
be  surrendered  within  an  hour.  Yet  matters  were  not  so  desperate 
within  the  walls  that  such  terms  need  be  accepted.  The  town  was, 
according  to  Cromwell's  description,  "  pleasantly  seated  and  strong," 
having  a  rampart  of  earth  fifteen  feet  thick  within  the  walls. -^  It  was 
garrisoned  by  over  2,000  men,  commanded  by  an  officer  who  had 
given  many  proofs  of  his  bravery  and  fidelity.  In  the  fort  and  else- 
where in  and  about  the  town  there  were  near  a  hundred  cannon  ;  in 
the  harbor,  three  vessels,  one  of  them  of  thirty-four  guns,  another  of 
about  twenty  guns  ;  and  a  frigate  of  twenty  guns  on  the  stocks,  built 
up  to  the  uppermost  deck.  Winter  was  setting  in  —  it  was  the  mid- 
dle of  October  —  and  the  "country  sickness  "  would  soon  begin  to 
tell  on  troops  encamped  under  the  open  sky.  Ormonde's  army  was 
at  Ross,  only  twenty  miles  off,  watching,  no  doubt,  for  a  favorable 
moment  to  fall  on  the  rear  of  the  besieging  lines,  whose  numbers 
were  too  few  to  keep  up  a  complete  investment  and,  at  the  same  time, 
to  repel  a  sudden  attack  that  might  be  made  on  any  point  either  from 
within  or  without. 

Unhappily  within  the  town  there  was  that  which  marred  many 
of  these  advantages — discord,  a  want  of  mutual  confidence  be- 
tween Ormonde  and  the  inhabitants  —  and  so  far  did  it  go,  that 
the  townsmen  seem  to  have  tliought  there  was  little  room  left  them 
for  choice  between  those  who  called  themselves  their  friends  and 
those  whom  they  well  knew  to  be  their  enemies.  The  day  before 
Cromwell  encamped  before  the  town,  Sinnott,  the  governor,  wrote  to 
Ormonde : 

"  I  find  no  resolution  in  the  townsmen  to  defend  the  town  ;  but  to  speak  the 
truth  nakedly,  I  find  and  perceive  them  rather  inclined  to  capitulate  and  take  con- 

'  Some  portions  of  the  town-wall  with  five  of  the  towers,  three  square  and  two  round, 
are  still  in  a  sufficient  state  of  preservation  to  sliow  that  the  walls  were  22  feet  high,  and 
were  supported  on  the  inside  by  a  rampart  of  earth  21  leet  thick. 


CROMWELL  nv  IRELAND.  91 

ditions  of  the  enemy.  In  so  niucli  as  I  cannot  as  yet  find  admittance  for  those  few 
assigned  liitiier  for  tlic  defence  of  the  place,  nor  a  muster  of  tlie  townsmen  to  know 
what  strengtii  they  liave  for  the  defence  thereof.  In  which  respect  seeing  I  am  not 
able  to  do  iiis  Majesty  any  service,  I  am  resolved  to  leave  the  town  without  I  find 
out  Ihcir  undelayed  conformity." 

With  difficulty  he  induced  them  to  admit  the  reinforcements 
from  the  Royalist  army  within  the  walls  ;  it  was  only  at  his  urgent 
request  that  they  consented  to  receive  a  second  bocfy  of  troops,  though 
these  were  much  needed  for  the  defence  of  the  town.  Some  went  so 
far  as  to  propose  that  Cromwell  should  be  treated  with,  in  the  hope 
that  a  peaceful  surrender  might  sectire  to  them  not  only  life  and  lib- 
erty, but  a  part  of  their  goods,  and  perhaps  their  homes.  But  worse 
than  this  —  they  had  in  their  midst  a  traitor.  Such  was  the  confi- 
dence of  the  Council  of  the  Confederate  Catholics  in  Captain  James 
Stafford,^  that  the  government  of  the  county  of  Kilkenny  had  been 
entrusted  to  him  jointly  with  Sir  Thomas  Esmonde,^  and  when  it  was 
known  that  Cromwell  was  m.arching  on  Wexford,  he  was  sent  to  act 
as  governor  of  the  castle  there,^  a  most  important  post,  since  the 
possession  of  it  insured  the  safety  of  the  town.  Sir  Edward  Butler 
had  good  reason  to  suspect  his  fidelity,  but  he  dared  not  displace  him, 
as  he  was  himself  too  much  under  the  control  of  the  Commissioners 
of  Trust. 

On  the  iith  of  October,  about  noon,  some  breaches  having  been 
made  in  the  walls  of  the  castle,  the  Governor  of  the  town  asked  for  a 
safe  conduct  for  four  persons  to  treat  of  surrender  on  honorable 
terms.  What  these  terms  were  we  have  already  seen.  One  of  the 
four  persons  chosen  on  behalf  of  the  townsmen  was  Stafford. 

"  While  I  was  jneparing  the  answer  to  the  propositions,"  says  Cromwell, 
"studying  to  preserve  tiie  town  from  plunder,  that  it  might  be  of  more  use  to  you 
and  your  army,  the  captain,  who  was  one  of  the  Commissioners,  being  fairly  treated, 
yielded  up  the  castle  to  us." 

It  is  obvious  that  the  advantage  taken  by  Cromwell  of  "  treating" 
Stafford  and  entering  the  town  while  the  terms  of  surrender  were 
under  discussion,  was  fraudulent   and   treacherous.     The  local  tradi- 

'  In  the  Jamestown  "Declaration"  the  loss  of  Wexford  is  attributed  to  the  "  unskil- 
fulness  of  the  governor,  a  young  man,  vain  and  unadvised."  Cox's  //id.  Aug/ic,  ap]5endix 
xlviii.  The  author  of  the  Af/ior.  Disc,  calls  Stafford  "a  vain,  idle,  young  man,  nothing 
practiced  in  the  art  miUtary."     Vol.  ii.  p.  54. 

-  lie  was  the  son  of  Sir  Laurence  Esmonde.  In  tiie  Civil  War  of  1641  he  deserted 
the  King  and  held  Duncannon  for  the  parliament.  The  fort  was  taken  by  I'reston  after  a 
siege  of  two  months.  Esmonde  died  of  grief  soon  after.  His  first  wife  was  sister  of 
O'Klaiierty.  thief  of  lar  Connaught.  She  fled  with  her  son  Thomas,  in  order  to  bring  him 
u|)  a  C^athnlic.  Esmonde,  in  his  anger,  affected  to  consider  the  marriage  invalid,  on  the  ground 
tliat  his  wile  was  "of  the  Irishry."  Thomas  uas  brought  up  by  his  mother's  relatives,  and 
through  their  influence  obtained  the  rank  of  baronet.  During  the  usurpation  of  Cromwell 
his  extensive  estates  were  granted  to  Colonel  Monk.  He  died  while  engaged  in  a  lawsuit 
for  their  recoverv,  leaving  a  son,  Sir  Laurence,  then  a  minor.  The  Duke  of  Huckingham, 
as  his  next  friend,  succeeded  in  recovering  a  considerable  part  of  them  ;  these  are  now  in 
the  possession  of  Sir  Thomas  II.  Esmonde.  The  recognition  of  the  peerage  did  imt  follow 
that  of  the  title  to  the  projierty,  for  Sir  Thomas  though  declared  "an  innocent  pajMst,"  yet, 
as  sucli,  labored  at  that  time  under  jieculiar  disadvantages.  See  Aintals  of  tlie  Fmtr  !\[asters, 
ad.  ann.  1597,  note  and  appendix,  and   The  Kilkenny  Arch,  yournallox  1856,  1862,  and  1870. 

"  A  portion  of  the  outer  wall  of  the  castle  is  still  standing. 


92  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


tion  says  that  Cromwell  and  Stafford  had  a  meeting  at  midnight  by 
the  riverside.  Carte's  words  leave  no  room  for  doubting  of  the  Gov- 
ernor's guilt:  "The  enemy  entered  the  gates  by  th6  treachery  of 
Captain  Stafford."  And  again:  "Stafford  having  privately  received 
Cromwell's  forces  into  the  castle,  which  commanded  the  part  of  the 
town  which  lay  next  it,  they  issued  suddenly  from  thence,  attacked 
the  wall  and  gate  adjoining,  and  soon  became  masters  of  the  place.'' 
Clarendon  is  still  more  explicit:  "Stafford  gave  up  the  place  to 
Cromwell,  and  took  conditions  under  him,  and  thereby  gave  entrance 
to  him  into  the  town." 

The  castle  ^  was  about  three  hundred  paces  outside  the  wall,  so 
close  that  the  communication  could  not  be  cut  off  between  them. 
The  gates  were  immediately  thrown  open  to  admit  those  who  were 
outside,  and  the  whole  army  poured  in.  They  entered  so  suddenly, 
that  the  townsmen  were  first  made  aware  of  Stafford's  treachery  by 
seeing  the  enemy's  colors  floating  from  the  summit  of  the  castle  and 
the  guns  turned  against  the  walls.  In  great  consternation  they  aban- 
doned that  portion  of  the  works,  and  retreated  into  the  town.  The 
assailants  seeing  the  walls  without  defenders,  rushed  forward  with 
their  scaling-ladders,  and  crossed  over  without  hindrance.  An  at- 
tempt was  made  to  prevent  the  advance  of  the  cavalry  by  placing 
ropes  and  chains  across  the  street.  Meantime  the  garrison  were 
retreating  to  the  market-place ;  there  the  townspeople  had  already 
gathered  together. 

Then  the  scenes  that  took  place  at  Drogheda  were  renewed  at 
Wexford. 2  We  have  Cromwell's  own  account  of  these  atrocities,  in 
his  letter  to  the  speaker  of  the  parliament,  from  before  Wexford,  i  ith 
October. 

"When  they  (the  townsmen  and  the  garrison)  were  come  into  the  market- 
place, making  a  stiff  resistance,  our  forces  broke  them  ;  and  then  put  all  to  the 
sword  that  came  in  their  way.  Two  boatfuls  of  the  enemy,  attempting  to  escape, 
being  overprest  with  numbers,  sank,  whereby  were  drowned  near  three  hundred  of 
tht-m.  T  believe,  in  all,  not  less  than  two  thousand  ;  and  I  believe  not  twenty  of 
yours  from  first  to  last  of  the  siege.  And  indeed,  it  hath,  not  without  cause,  been 
deeply  set  upon  our  hearts  that  we  intending  better  to  this  place  than  so  great  a 
ruin,  hoping  the  town  might  be  of  more  use  to  you  and  your  army,  yet  God  would 
not  have  it  so  ;  but  by  an  unexpected  providence,  in  his  righteous  justice,  brought 
a  just  judgment  upon  them,  causing  them  to  become  a  prey  to  the  soldier,  who  in 
their  piracies  had  made  preys  of  so  many  families,  and  made  with  their  bloods  to 
answer  the  cruelties  which  they  had  exercised  upon  the  lives  of  divers  poor  Protes- 
tants !  Two  (instances)  of  which  I  have  been  lately  acquainted  with.  About  seven 
or  eight  score  poor  Protestants  were  by  them  put  into  an  old  vessel,  which  being,  as 
some  say,  bulged  by  them,  the  vessel  sank,  and  they  were  all  presently  drowned  in 

1  Cox  says  the  castle  was  surrendered  within  two  hours  after  Sir  Edward  Butler  and 
the  force  s>ent  with  him  had  entered  the  town. 

2  "Cromwell's  forces  entered  and  made  almosf  as  great  slaughter  as  at  Droghedi." 
Castlehaven's  Memoirs,  p.  ii6.  See  also  Warner's  History  of  the  Rebfllion^  \>.  ^-jG.  "For 
an  hour  the  fight  continued  in  the  market-place.  Iwit  on  unetiual  terms,  for  the  sword  of 
Cromwell  cut  down  nearly  all  the  townspeople  without  regard  for  condition,  age,  or  sex." 
Bruodin's  Propiig.  p.  68o.  "  The  enemy  put  to  the  sword  all  those  that  were  found  in  arms, 
with  an  execution  as  horribly  deliberate  as  that  of  Drogheda."  Leland  vol.  iii.  p.  353. 
"  (ireat  mortality  did  accompany  that  fury  of  both  soldier  and  native;  all  sex  and  age  in- 
differently there  perished."  Ap/ior.  Disc.  \o\.  ii.  p.  54.  "2,000  were  slain  of  Ormonde's 
soldiers  in  the  town."     Briff  Chron.  0/  the  Irish  Wurs,  p  5. 


CBOMWl-'J.  IN  IRELAND.  93 

the  harbor.  The  other  was  thus  :  They  put  clivers  poor  Protestants  into  a  chapel 
(which,  since  they  have  used  for  a  Mass-house,  and  in  wiiich  one  or  more  of  their 
priests  were  now  i<illcd),  where  they  were  famisiied  to  death. 

"  The  soldiers  got  a  very  good  booty  in  this  place  ;  and  had  not  they  (the 
townspeople)  had  opportunity  to  carry  their  goods  over  the  river  while  we  besieged 
it,  it  would  have  been  much  more.  I  could  have  wished  for  their  own  good  and 
the  good  of  the  garrison,  they  had  been  more  moderate.  Some  things  which  were 
not  easily  portable,  we  hope  we  shall  make  good  use  of  to  your  behoof.  There  are 
great  quantities  of  iron,  hides,  tallow,  salt,  pipe  and  barrel  staves,  which  arc  under 
the  Commissioners'  hands,  to  be  secured.  We  believe  there  are  near  a  hundred 
cannon  in  the  fort  and  elsewhere  in  and  about  the  town.  Here  is  likewise  some 
very  good  shipping;  here  are  three  vessels,  one  of  them  of  thirty-four  guns,  which 
a  week's  time  would  fit  to  sea:  there  is  anftther  of  about  twenty  guns,  very  near 
ready  likewise,  and  one  other  frigate  of  twenty  guns,  upon  the  stocks,  made  for 
sailing,  which  is  built  up  to  the  uppermost  deck;  for  her  handsomeness' sake  I  have 
appointed  the  workmen  to  finish  her,  here  being  materials  to  do  it,  if  you  or  the 
Council  of  State  shall  approve  thereof.  The  frigate  also,  taken  beside  the  fort,  is 
a  most  excellent  vessel  for  sailing,  besides  divers  other  ships  and  vessels  in  the 
harbor.' 

"This  town  is  now  in  your  power,  that  of  the  former  inhabitants,  I  believe,, 
scarce  one  in  twenty  can  challenge  any  property  in  their  houses.  Most  of  them  are 
run  away,  and  many  of  them  killed  in  this  service.  And  it  were  to  be  wished  that 
an  honest  people  would  come  and  plant  here,  where  are  very  good  houses  and  other 
accommodations  fitted  to  their  hands,  which  may  by  your  favor  be  made  of  encour- 
agement to  them.  As  also  a  seat  of  good  trade,  both  inward  and  outward,  and  of 
marvellous  great  advantage  in  the  point  of  the  herring  and  other  fishing.  The  town 
is  pleasantly  seated  and  strong,  having  a  rampart  of  earth  within  the  wall  near 
fifteen  feet  thick." 

And  he  concludes  with  the  following  pious  utterance  :  — 

"  Thus  it  hath  pleased  God  to  give  into  your  hands  this  other  mercy  "  — ■ 
Drogheda  was  the  first  —  "  for  which,  as  for  all,  we  pray  God  may  have  all  the  glory. 
Indeed  your  instruments  are  poor  and  weak,  and  can  do  nothing  but  through  believ- 
ing—  and  that  is  the  gift  of  God  also. 

"  I  humbly  take  leave,  and  rest, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 

"  Oliver  Cromwell." 

On  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  October  30th,  orders  were  issued  by 
the  parliament  to  the  Council  of  State,  to  prepare  a  letter  of  thanks 
to  the  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland  and  to  the  officers  of  the  army  ; 
and  to  give  one  hundred  pounds  to  Captain  William  Raby  for  bring- 
ing the  letters  from  the  Lord  Lieutenant. 

There  is  abundant  testimony  of  contemporary  writers  to  prove 
that  the  cruelties  practiced  at  Wexford  on  the  clergy  and  people  were 
as  great  as  those  of  which  Drogheda  was  the  scene  a  month  before. 
Dr.  Fleming,  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  writing  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Propaganda  at  Rome,  very  soon  after,  says  that  many  priests,  some 
religious,  innumerable  citizens,  and  two  thousand  soldiers  were  mas- 
sacred. Father  St.  Leger,  S.  J.,  in  a  letter  to  his  superiors  in  Rome, 
in  1655,  containing  an  account  of  the  events  of  the  preceding  years, 
states  that  when  Wexford  was  taken,  Cromwell  exterminated  the 
citizens  by  the  sword.     Colonel  Solomon  Richards,  too,  says  that  the 

1-  A  party  of  his  Excellency's  foot,  by  help  of  some  vessels,  took  the  Earl  of  Antrim's 
frigate  with  14  guns.  Ilis  Excellency  took  Wexford  by  storm,  .Tiid  in  it  51  pieces  of  ord- 
nance besides  those  in  ships,  forty  vessels  in  the  harbor,  and  great  store  of  plunder. 


94  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 

town  of  Wexford  was  much  depopulated  in  its  taking  by  Oliver  Crom- 
well. In  "The  Humble  Petition  of  the  Ancient  Native  Inhabitants 
of  the  Town  of  Wexford,  and  of  the  Heirs,  Orphans,  and  Widows  of 
such  of  them  as  are  dead,  to  his  Majesty  Charles  II.,  July  4th,  1660," 
it  is  said  of  Cromwell  :  "The  said  usurper  entered  the  town  and  put 
man,  woman,  and  child,  to  a  very  few,  to  the  sword  ;  where,  among 
the  rest,  the  Governor  lost  his  life,  and  others  of  the  soldiers  and 
inhabitants  to  the  number  of  1,500  persons."  In  the  west  side  a  great 
slaughter  was  made.  Fortunately  we  have  a  detailed  account  of 
these  events  from  one  whose  testimony  is  beyond  all  cavil.  Dr. 
Nicholas  French,  the  Bishop  of  Ferns,  was  then  lying  ill  in  a  neigh- 
boring town.  In  a  letter  to  the  Papal  Nuncio,  written  from  Antwerp 
in  January,  1673,  he  thus  describes  what  took  place  :  ^ 

"On  that  fatal  day,  October  iith,  1649,  I  lost  everything  I  had.  Wexford, 
my  native  town,  then  abounding  in  merchandise,  ships  and  wealth,  was  taken  at  the 
sword's  point  by  that  plague  of  England,  Cromwell,  and  sacked  by  an  infuriated 
soldiery.  Before  God's  altar  fell  sacred  victims,  holy  priests  of  the  Lord.  Of  those 
who  were  seized  outside  the  church,  some  were  scourged,  some  thrown  into  chains 
and  imprisoned,  while  others  were  hangetl  or  put  to  death  by  cruel  tortures.  The 
blood  of  the  noblest  of  our  citizens  was  shed  so  that  it  inundated  the  streets.  There 
was  hardly  a  house  that  was  not  defiled  with  carnage  and  filled  with  wailing.  In 
my  own  palace,  a  boy  hardly  sixteen  years  of  age,  an  amiable  youth,  and  also  mv 
gardener  and  sacristan,  were  barbarously  butchered  ;  and  my  chaplain,  whom  I  had 
left  behind  me  at  home,  was  pierced  with  six  mortal  wounds  and  left  weltering  in 
his  blood.  And  these  abominable  deeds  were  done  in  the  open  day  by  wicked 
assassins  !  Never  since  that  day  have  I  seen  my  native  city,  my  flock,  my  native 
land,  or  my  kindred  :  and  this  it  is  that  makes  me  the  most  wretched  of  men.  After 
the  destruction  of  the  town,  I  lived  for  live  months  in  the  woods,  every  moment 
sought  after  that  I  might  be  put  to  death.  There  my  drink  was  milk  and  water, 
my  food  a  little  bread:  on  one  occasion  I  did  not  taste  food  for  five  whole  days.  I 
slept  under  the  open  sky,  without  any  shelter  or  covering.  At  lenjjth,  the  wood  in 
which  I  lay  concealed  was  surrounded  by  numerous  bodies  of  the  enemy,  who  came 
to  seize  me  and  send  me  in  chains  to.  England.  But,  thanks  to  my  guardian  angel, 
I  escaped  their  hands,  owing  to  the  speed  and  swiftness  of  my  horse." 

There  is  another  letter  of  Dr.  French,  still  extant  in  the  library 
of  Trinity  College ;  it  is  entitled  Apologia,  and  seems  to  be  a  defence 
of  his  leaving  Ireland  and  seeking  safety  in  a  foreign  land  :  — 

"  You  say  nothing  about  my  native  city,  Wexford,  cruelly  destroyed  by  the 
sword  on  the  nth  of  October,  1649;  nothing  of  my  palace  that  was  plundered,"  and 
of  my  domestics  impiously  slain  ;  nothing  of  my  fellow-laborers,  precious  victims, 
immolated  by  the  impious  sword  of  the  heretic  before  the  altar  of  God  ;  nothing  of 
the  inhabitants  weltering  in  their  own  blood  and  gore.  The  rumor  of  the  direful 
massacre  reached  me  whilst  I  was  ill  in  a  neighboring  town,  suffering  from  a  burn- 

1  The  original  is  given  in  S/^icil.  Ossor.,  vol.  i.  ]■>.  347.  Dr.  French  left  Ireland  in  1651, 
having  been  seni  by  ihe  Confederates  to  ask  for  aid  and  protection  for  the  Irish  Catholics 
from  the  Duke  of  Lorraine.  The  laws  made  against  Jesuits,  priests,  friars,  monks,  and 
nuns,  and  rigidly  ei\fi)r(:ed,  prevented  \\\*  return  to  his  native  land.  After  some  time  lie  went 
to  Spain,  and  there  acteil  as  coadjutor  to  tlie  bishoij.of  St.  lago  ;  these  duties  he  performed 
also  at  Paris  and  (Ihent.  lie  died  in  the  latter  place,  August  23d,  167S.  He  is  buried 
opposite  the  high  altar  in  the  church  of  St.  Nicholas.  Over  the  spot  there  is  a  white  marble 
monument  bearing  ids  arms  and  the  motto  :  Virtue  in  angiistiis.  The  inscription  on  it  will 
be  found  in  the  Bishops  of  Ferns,  by  the  Most  Rev.  Dr.  M'Carthy,  p.  21  ;  Dublin.  1874.  His 
Siltletnent  and  Sale  of  Ireland  and  The  Unkinde  Deserter  were  reprinted  by  Duffy,  Dublin, 
in  1S56. 

-  The  soldiers  had  the  plunder  of  the  town  for  two  hours.     Relation,  &c. 


CROMWELL  LN  IHELANF).  95 

ing  fever.  I  cried  and  mourned  and  shed  bitter  tears  and  lamented:  and  turning 
to  heaven  with  a  deeji  sigh,  cried  out  in  the  words  of  the  prophet  Jeremias,  and  all 
wiio  were  present  siiared  in  my  tears.  In  that  excessive  iiitterness  of  my  soul,  a 
tliousand  times  I  wislied  to  bc'dissolved  and  to  be  witli  Chiist,  that  thus  I  might 
not  witness  tiie  sufferings  of  my  country.  From  that  time  I  saw  neither  my  city  nor 
my  peoi)le  ;  but,  like  an  outcast,  1  sought  refuge  in  the  wilderness.  I  wandered 
liirougii  woods  and  mountains,  generally  taking  my  rest  and  rejiose  exposed  to  tlie 
hoar  frost,  sometimes  lying  hid  In  tlie  caves  and  caverns  of  the  earth.  In  the  woods 
and  groves  I  passed  more  than  five  months,  that  thus  I  miglit  administer  some  con- 
solation to  the  few  survivers  of  my  flock  who  had  escaped  from  the  merciless  mas- 
sacre, and  dwelt  there  with  the  herds  of  cattle.  I3ut  neither  woods  nor  caverns 
could  afford  me  a  lasting  refuge;  for  the  heretical  governor  of  Wexford,  ("icorge 
Cooke,  well  known  for  his  barbarity,  with  several  troops  of  cavalry  and  foot  soldiers, 
searching  everv'wcere,  anxious  for  my  death,  explored  even  the  highest  mountains 
and  most  difficult  recesses;  the  huts  and  habitations  adjoining  the  wood,  in  which  I 
had  sometimes  offered  the  Holy  Sacrifice,  he  destroyed  by  fire;  and  my  hiding- 
places,  which  were  formed  of  branches  of  trees,  were  all  thrown  down.  Among 
those  who  were  subject  to  much  annoyance  on  my  account  was  a  nobleman,  in  whose 
house  he  supposed  me  to  be  concealed.  He  searched  the  whole  house  with  lighted 
tapers,  accomi)anied  by  soldiers  holding  their  naked  swords  in  their  hands  to  slay 
nio  tlie  nK)ment  1  should  appear.  Ihit  in  the  midst  of  all  these  perils  God  jirotected 
me,  and  mercifully  delivered  me  from  the  hands  of  this  blood-thirsty  man." 

The  following  account  of  the  massacre  of  some  Franciscan 
Fathers  of  the  convent  of  We.xford,  is  taken  from  A  Brief  History  of 
the  Irish  Province  of  the  Friars  Minor  of  the  Regular  Obscjvance,  by 

Father  Francis  Ward. 

• 

On  the  nth  of  October,  1649,  the  octave  of  our  holy  father,  St.  Francis,  seven 
religious  of  the  Order  of  St.  Francis,  all  men  of  great  merit  and  natives  of  the 
town,  perished  by  the  sword  of  the  heretics  in  Wexford,  viz.  :  Father  Richard  Syn- 
,nott,  professor  of  theology,  formerly  guardian  of  the  convent;  F.John  Esmonde, 
preacher,  who  had  singular  power  in  relieving  energumenes;  F.  Paulinus  Synnott, 
who  had  suffered  much  for  the  faith  among  the  Turks,  and  had  received  from  Pope 
Urban  VIII.  full  jurisdiction  over  all  the  Catholic  captives ;  F.  Raymund  Stafford, 
who  had  left  a  considerable  inheritance,  and  despising  everything  for  Christ,  had 
chosen  to  imitate  the  poverty  of  Christ  under  the  standard  of  St.  Francis.  Fifteen 
months  before  his  death  he  had  retired  to  an  island,  and  led  there  an  austere 
and  mortified  life,  using  only  once  each  day  lenten  fare.  F.  Peter  Stafford,  too, 
was  much  devoted  to  prayer.  During  the  times  of  persecution,  in  the  absence  of 
the  secular  clergy,  he  discharged  for  fifteen  years  the  duties  of  parish  priest  with 
great  credit.  Brother  Uiclacus  Chevers,  over  seventy  years  of  age  and  blind ; 
Ih'other  James  Rochford,  both  men  of  exemplary  lives,  and  devoted  to  work.  Some 
of  these  were  slain  while  kneeling  before  the  altar,  others  while  hearing  confessions. 
F.  Raymond  Stafford,  holdin.2:  in  his  hand  a  crucifix,  came  out  of  the  church  to  en- 
courage the  citizens,  and  even  preached  with  great  zeal  to  the  enemy,  until  he  was 
slain  by  them  in  the  market-place.  All  these  were  men  of  most  exemplary  life,  and 
as  they  fell,  tiie  Lord  ileigned  to  show  how  precious  their  death  was  in  his  sight. 

1.  When  they  were  fired  at,  the  balls  fell  close  to  some  of  them  withoui^  doing 
them  any  harm  whatever.  This  I  heard  from  a  noble  lady,  Margaret  Keating,  to 
whom  the  enemy  related  it  in  presence  of  her  children  and  servants. 

2.  Whilst  they  were  being  put  to  death,  it  happened  that  a  little  of  their  blood 
fell  on  the  hand  of  one  of  the  executioners  ;  this  he  could  not  wash  off  ever  after, 
or  remove  by  any  means  whatever.  J  heard  this  from  Mr.  John  French  of  Ballo- 
lonie,  who  had  himself  seen  the  blood,  and  learned  the  circumstances  from  the 
mouth  of  the  wicked  man  after  the  capture  of  the  city;  he  spoke  of  the  crime  with 
great  sorrow,  saying  that  he  bore  about  on  his  hand  the  token  that  he  had  slain  the 
religious  "whose  Wood  you  see,"  and  would  carry  the  mark  with  him  to  his  grave. 

3.  Mrs.  Margaret  Keating,  the  wife  of  Captain  I3oran,  and  daughter  of  Mr. 
William  Keating,  an  alderman  of  Wexford,  told  me  she  heard  a  soldier  of  the  Eng- 
lish army,  named  Weaver,  say,  that  when  the  religious  were  mortally  wounded  and 


96  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 

lay  expiring  in  the  streets,  througli  compassion  for  them  and  wishing  to  put  an  end 
to  their  Bufferings,  he  fired  at  one  of  them  twice.  Though  the  balls  touched  h's 
cowl,  they  did  not  penetrate  it ;  they  fell  gently  near  the  cowl  as  if  they  had  no 
force.  He  then  shot  at  his  body,  but  tlie  result  was  the  same.  Weaver  was  asked 
to  f^re  again;  he  replied,  "I  have  done  so  already  as  well  as  I  could;  hitherto  I 
have  slain  none  of  the  Irish,  nqr  shall  I  do  so  in  future."  He  left  the  army  and 
became  a  Catholic.  I  was  sought  for  to  reconcile  him  to  the  Church,  but  as  I  was 
not  found,  I  did  not  see  him.  But  to  a  certainty  he  was  reconciled  by  the  Rev. 
Patrick  Hampton,  chancellor  of  Ferns,  of  pious  memory. 

4.  Some  of  the  soldiers  who  put  on  the  habits  of  the  religious,  died  miserably. 
Mr.  William  Hore,  of  Harperstown,  told  me  that  he  warned  in  a  friendly  manner 
one  of  the  English  soldiers  who  had  the  habit  on,  to  lay  it  aside,  as  it  was  not  right 
to  mock  at  St.  Francis  or  the  other  saints.  He  replied,  "  that  is  all  nonsense  and 
superstition."  "Tell  me,  I  beg  you,"  said  Mr.  Hore,  "to-morrow  morning  if  you 
have  had  any  dream."  He  agreed  to  do  so.  After  he  had  gone  to  rest  he  was 
tortured  by  spectres  all  the  night,  thinking  mad  dogs  were  dragging  him  about. 
He  was  so  terrified  at  these  sights  that  he  tool<  sick  and  died. 

5.  Francis  Whitty,  a  man  of  noble  birth,  told  me  that  he  saw  one  of  the  Eng- 
lish soldiers  who  had  the  habit  on,  die  while  uttering  blasphemies. 

6.  It  is  commonly  reported  that  a  soldier  fired  at  the  crucifix  which  F.  Ray- 
mond held  in  his  hand,  and  that  the  ball  turned  aside  and  killed  the  captain  of  the 
company.     This  I  heard  from  Sir  Thomas  Esmonde  and  from  many  others. 

7.  The  Rev.  John  Turner,  the  parish  priest  of  Maglass,  declared  that,  on  the 
day  when  the  religious  and  others  were  slain  at  Wexford,  he  saw  a  beautiful  woman 
ascending  towards  the  sky.  This  he  saw  when  he  was  five  miles  from  Wexford, 
before  he  heard  anything  whatever  about  its  capture. 

8.  Divers  mishaps  befel  those  who  were  daring  enough  to  dwell  in  the  con- 
venj  that  formerly  belonged  to  the  religious.  Many  of  them,  soon  after  they  came 
to  the  place,  died,  and  were  buried  in  the  convent  garden.  Those  who  survived 
were  frequently  troubled  during  the  night  by  spectres;  they  told  their  neighbors 
that  they  thought  they  had  done  wrong  in  killing  the  religious,  and  that  they  would 
remain  no  longer  in  the  convent,  even  though  they  should  find  no  other  place  to 
live  in.  This  I  heard  from  some  of  their  neighbors  who  knew  well  of  their  death 
and  burial,  and  who  had  heard  from  these  persons  that  they  were  tormented  in  this 
way  by  spectres. 

I,  the  undersigned,  declare  on  the  word  of  a  priest,  that  I  heard  the  above 
facts  related  by  the  aforesaid  persons,  and  have  set  them  down  in  writing  exactly 
as  they  were  told. 

Father  Francis  Stafford, 

Of  the  Co7tceptioii^  preacher  and  confessor,  and  ex-guardian  of 
the  Convent  of  Wexford. 

Any  other  priests  who  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  soldiers,  no 
doubt  suffered  the  same  fate  as  the  Franciscans.^  About  Easterti^'e, 
1654,  four  Franciscans  were  arrested  in  Wexford  by  Cromwellian 
officers,  and  hanged  without  formality  of  trial,  in  the  neighborhood  of 
their  former  convent. 

Sir  Edmund  Butler  was  killed  by  a  shot  that  struck  him  on  the 
head  as  he  was  endeavoring  to  escape  by  swimming  across  the  ferry. 

A  tradition,  still  ctirrent  in  Wexford,  says,  that  300  women  were 

^  In  the  year  1649,  there  were  in  Ireland  23  l)isliops  and  4  archbishops.  In  the  riithe- 
drals  there  were,  as  usual,  canons  and  dig.iit.iries ;  liie  parishes  had  pastors,  a  great  miinber 
of  priests,  and  numerous  convents  cf  regulars.  But  r.lter  Cron^well  had  attained  to  supreme 
power,  all  were  scattered.  Over  300  were  put  to  d^ath,  1,000  more  driven  iiUo  exile.  Four 
bishops  were  slain,  the  others  were  obliged  to  fly  to  foreign  countries,  excejJt  the  Bishop  of 
Kilmore,  who  was  too  feeble  to  be  removed.  MS.  in  tlie  Arundel  Library,  Stonyhurst.  In 
1641  thfre  were  in  Ireland  43  houses  of  the  Dominican  Ordei  and  600  religious.  Ten  years 
after,  there  was  not  a  single  house  in  their  possession,  and  th'-ee-fcurths '^f  the  religious 
were  dead  or  in  exile.     Hib,  Dom.  p.  286. 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  97 

put  to  death  in  the  public  square.  They  had  flocked  round  the  great 
cross  which  stood  there,  in  the  hope  that  Christian  soldiers  would  be 
so  far  softened  by  the  sight  of  that  emblem  of  mercy  as  to  spare  the 
lives  of  unresisting  women.  But  the  victors,  enraged  at  such  super- 
stition, and  perhaps  regarding  their  presence  there  as  a  proof  that 
they  were  Catholics,  and  therefore  fit  objects  for  their  zeal,  rushed 
upon  them  and  put  them  all  to  death. 

M'Geoghcgan,  who  published  his  history  in  1758,  was  the  first 
writer  who  made  special  mention  of  this  incident  of  the  siege, ^  and 
from  the  silence  of  contemporaries,  some  of  our  historians  have  in- 
ferred that  the  tradition  refers  only  to  the  general  massacre  of  the 
inhabitants  in  the  market-place.  In  reply  it  may  be  said,  that  no  one 
of  the  contemporary  writers,  whose  works  have  come  down  to  us, 
intended  to  give  an  exhaustive  account  of  all  that  took  place.  Besides, 
it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  M'Gheoghegan  had  special  opportunities 
of  learning  the  traditions  on  such  points  ;  he  was  chaplain  to  the 
Irish  Brigade  in  the  service  of  France,  at  a  time  when  probably  it 
had  in  its  ranks  the  children  and  the  grandchildren  of  those  who  were 
eye-witnesses  of  what  he  relates.  "  Some  have  questioned  the  accu- 
racy of  the  statement  made  by  M'Geoghcgan  and  Lingard,"  writes 
the  Most  Rev.  Dr.  Moran,  "as  to  the  massacre  of  these  three  hundred 
females  around  the  cross  in  Wexford  :  they  say  Dr.  French  and  other 
contemporary  writers  would  not  be  silent  in  regard  of  this  particular. 
But  these  contemporary  writers  suflficiently  describe  the  wholesale 
massacre  of  the  inhabitants,  without  mercy  being  shown  to  either 
age  or  sex;  and  any  particulars  that  are  added  have  a  special  refer- 
ence to  themselves.  The  same  writers,  when  describing  the  destruc- 
tion of  Drogheda,  are  silent  as  to  the  massacre  in  the  crypts  of.  St. 
Peter's  church  ;  and  were  it  not  for  the  narrative  of  an  officer  who 
was  himself  engaged  in  that  barbarous  work,  some  critics  would  prob- 
ably now  be  found  to  reject  it  as  fabulous.  The  constant  tradition  not 
only  of  Wexford,  but  of  the  whole  nation,  attests  the  truth  of  the 
statement  of  the  above-named  historians." 

The  following  poem  by  Michael  J.  Barry,  on  this  subject,  may  be 
new  to  some  of  our  readers  :  — 

They  knelt  around  the  cross  divine, 

The  matron  and  the  maid  ; 
The}'  bowed  before  redemption's  sign, 

And  fervently  they  prayed  — 
Tiirce  hundred  fair  and  helpless  ones, 

Wiiosc  crime  was  this  alone  — 
Their  valiant  husbands,  sire^  and  sons 

Had  battled  for  cheir  own. 

Had  battled  bravely,  bui  in  vain  — 
The  Saxon  won  the  fight, 
•  And  Irish  corpses  screwed  the  plain 

Where  Valor  slept  with  Right. 

^  History  of  Ireland,  p.  574.  He  was  born  in  1701,  and  was  sent  at  an  early  age  to 
France,  where  he  entered  the  Church.  For  some  time  he  was  chaplain  to  the  Irish  Brigade. 
During  the  latter  part  of  his  life  he  was  attached  to  the  church  of  St.  Mery,  in  Paris.  He 
died  in  1764. 


98  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


And  now  that  man  of  demon  guilt, 

To  fated  Wexford  flew  — 
The  red  blood  reeking  on  his  hilt 

Of  hearts  to  Erin  true! 

He  found  them  there  —  the  young,  the  old, 

Tlie  maiden,  and  the  wife; 
Their  guardians  brave  in  death  were  cold, 

Who  dared  for  the?n  the  strife. 
They  prayed  for  mercy —  God  on  high! 

Before  i/iy  cross  they  prayed. 
And  ruthless  Cromwell  bade  them  die 

To  glut  the  Saxon  blade ! 

Three  hundred  fell  — the  stifled  prayer 

Was  quenched  in  women's  blood; 
Nor  youth  nor  age  could  move  to  spare 

From  slaughter's  crimson  flood. 
But  nations  keep  a  stern  account 

Of  deeds  that  tyrants  do  ! 
And  guiltless  blood  to  Heaven  will  mount, 

And  Heaven  avenge  it  too  ! 

The  murder  of  Irish  women  was  nothing  new  to  the  Puritans, 
Atter  the  battle  of  Naseby  one  hundred  females,  some  of  them  of 
distinguished  rank,  were  put  to  the  sword,  under  the  pretext  that  they 
were  Irish  Catholics.  In  one  day  eighty  women  and  children,  some 
infants  at  the  mother's  breast,  were  precipitated  over  the  bridge  at 
Linlithgow  ;  and  if  any  struggled  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  they  were 
knocked  on  the  head  or  thrust  in  again  by  the  soldiery.  Their  crime 
was  being  the  wives  and  children  of  Irish  soldiers  who  had  served 
under  Montrose. 

It  was  not  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  alone  that  were  slain. 
Dr.  Lynch  states  that  there  was  throughout  the  country  an  indiscrim- 
inate massacre  of  men,  women,  and  children,  by  which  not  less  than 
four  thousand  persons,  young  and  old,  were  atrociously  butchered  by 
the  order  of  Colonel  Cooke,  appointed  governor  of  the  town  by  Crom- 
well. 

The  churches  in  Wexford  and  its  neighborhood  were  profaned, 
and  some  in  part,  some  wholly  demolished.  Selskir,^  St.  Patrick's, 
St.  Mary's,  St.  Bride's,  St.  John's,  St.  Peter's,  St.  Maud's  at  Maud- 
lenstown  were  pulled  down.  The  plate  of  Selskir  was  seized,  and  its 
bells  were  taken  and  shipped  to  Chester.  A  few  years  after,  they 
were  removed  to  the  old  church  near  River  Street,  Liverpool,  where 
they  remain  to  this  day.  According  to  tradition,  the  freedom  of  the 
town  and  exemption  from  the  port  duties  of  Liverpool  were  granted 
to  the  freemen  of  Wexford  in  lieu  of  these  bells. 

Cromwell's  cruelties  at  Drogheda,  repeated  at  Wexford,  spread 
terror  far  and  wide.  Towns  and  strong  places  fifty  miles  off  declared 
for  the  parliament.     Even  the  Commissioners  of  Trust  were  so  terri- 

1  Selskir  was  called  SS.  Peter  and  Paul's  of  Selskir,  i.  e.,  of  the  holy  sepulchre.  L 
belonged  to  the  Canons  regular  of  St.  Austin.  The  prior  had  a  seat  in  parliament.  Arch 
dali"s  Monas'.icoti,  p.   755. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  99 

ficd,  that  they  were  on  the  point  of  leaving  Kilkenny  and  transferring 
their  sittings  elsewhere.  They  sent  one  of  their  number,  Dr.  Fennell, 
to  consult  Ormonde  on  the  subject.  He  strove  to  dissuade  them  from 
their  purpose  by  assuring  them  there  was  no  occasion  for  such  alarm, 
since  Ross  was  not  yet  taken  ;  that  if  the  place  held  out,  the  loss  of 
the  besieging  army  would  be  so  great,  that  for  one  year,  at  least, 
Kilkenny  would  be  secure  from  attack  ;  if  it  were  lost,  the  time 
needed  to  march  to  Kilkenny  would  be  sufficient  for  them  to  secure 
their  departure  ;  that  their  removal  could  not  but  discourage  others, 
and  make  them  think  of  entering  into  terms  with,  the  enemy.  By 
these  arguments  they  were  reassured,  and  continued  their  sittings  at 
Kilkenny. 

After  Ormonde  had  thrown  the  second  relief  into  Wexford,  he 
began  his  march  back  towards  Ross,  intending  to  cross  the  Slaney 
near  Enniscorthy.  But  Cromwell,  having  had  intelligence  of  his 
movements,  sent  Jones  with  a  considerable  detachment  to  intercept 
him,  Ormonde  saw  them  drawn  up  on  a  hill  ;  though  their  numbers 
were  inferior  to  his  own,  he  preferred  to  avoid  an  engagement,  dis- 
trusting many  of  Inchiquin's  men.  In  the  dusk  of  the  evening  he 
set  off  in  another  direction,  and  fetching  a  compass  over  the  nionu- 
tains  of  Wicklow,  he  arrived,  after  two  days'  march,  at  Leighlinbridge. 
There  Colonel  Butler,  who  had  escaped  by  swimming  across  the  ferry, 
brought  him  news  of  the  fall  of  Wexford. 

To  Ormonde  the  fall  of  Wexford  was  a  severe  shock  ;  it  was 
wnolly  unexpected  by  him,  and  disconcerted  all  his  plans,  for  he  cal- 
culated that  the  siege  of  so  strong  a  place  would  have  delayed  Crom- 
well's advance  for  several  weeks,  and  that  in  the  meantime  he  could 
procure  such  aid  from  Ulster  and  Munster  as  would  make  him  a  match 
for  the  Parliamentary  army.  This  was  not  the  only  mortification  he 
experienced  ;  he  learned  almost  at  the  same  time  of  the  successes  of 
Coote  and  Venables  in  the  north,  and  of  attempts  at  revolt  made  by  • 
the  southern  garrisons.  All  his  plans  were  disarranged.  In  his 
anger  he  reproached  the  Catholics  with  deserting  the  cause  of  the 
King  ;  "They  who  stood  so  rigidly  with  the  King  upon  religion,  and, 
as  they  called  it,  on  the  splendor  of  it,  now  could  v/ith  difficulty  be 
withheld  from  sending  commissioners  to  Cromwell  to  entreat  him  to 
make  stables  and  hospitals  of  their  churches." 


IQQ  CROMWELL   ly  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  ATTEMPT  ON  DUNCANNON. 

Ireton  sent  to  atteinpl  Duncannon  —  Its  Importance '- Roche  tlie  Governor  —  Wogan  ap- 
pointed in  his  Place — Plan  of  Defence  —  Its  Success  —  Reinforcements  from  Dublin  — 
Inchiquin  tries  to  intercept  them  —  Fight  at  Glascarrig. 

After  the  capture  of  Wexford,  Cromwell  sent  Ireton  to  lay  siege 
to  Duncannon.  This  fort  is  situated  on  a  rock  projecting  from  the 
eastern  side  of  the  entrance  to  Waterford  harbor,  eleven  miles  south- 
east of  the  city.  On  the  face  looking  towards  the  sea  it  was  defended 
by  three  batteries  ;  on  the  land  side  it  was  protected  by  a  deep  ditch, 
and  behind  there  was  a  massive  and  precipitous  rampart  hollowed  out 
of  the  rock  ;  on  this  two  watch  towers  were  built.  There  were  also 
two  sally-ports,  and  between  them  a  draw-bridge.  The  whole  covered 
about  four  acres.  It  had  been  specially  strengthened  when  the  Span- 
iards threatened  a  descent  in  1558,  The  possession  of  it  was  of  the 
greatest  importance  to  the  Royalists,  as  it  secured  to  them  the  only 
approach  by  water  to  Waterford,  and  made  them  masters  of  the  sur- 
rounding country.  1  During  the  siege  of  Wexford  Ormonde  went  to 
take  an  exact  survey  of  its  condition.  He  distributed  money  among 
the  soldiers,  and  assured  them  that  their  welfare  would  be  a  constant 
care  to  him,  and  that  immediate  relief  v/ould  be  sent  to  them.  Indeed, 
so  important  did  he  consider  the  place  that  he  resolved,  in  case  Lieu- 
tenant-General  Ferrall  arrived  before  its  fall  with  the  forces  sent  by 
Owen  Roc  O'Neill,  to  venture  a  battle  rather  than  lose  it.  He  ap- 
pointed Colonel  Edward  Wogan  ^  governor,  in  place  of  Captain  Thomas 
Roach,  who  candidly  declared  himself  unequal  to  the  duties  of  such 
a  critical  position.  The  Commissioners  who  had  put  him  in  command 
there,  resented  the  change  as  a  breach  of  the  Articles  of  the  Peace 

1  It  was  taken,  after  two  months'  siege,  in  March,  1645,  osving  to  the  valor  and  skill  of 
General  Thomas  Preston,  who  had  learned  the  art  of  war  in  Flanders,  "iliat  far-famed 
academy  of  Mars."  Lord  Esmonde  held  it  at  that  time  for  the  parliament.  A  detailed  ac- 
count of  the  siege,  taken  from  the  diary  of  Geoffrey  Baron,  who  was  present,  is  given  by  his 
brodier,  Father  Bonaventure  Baron,  in  his  Sifge  0/  Duncannon.  See  Ware's  W7iters  of 
Ireland,  p.  253. 

^  Wogan,  when  a  youth  of  fifteen,  had  been,  by  the  corruption  of  his  nearest  friends, 
engaged  in  the  parliament  service  against  the  King,  and  had  a  command  of  a  troop  of 
horse  under  Ireton;  but  he  abjured  that  party  upon  the  execution  of  Charles  I.,  and  was 
appointed  by  Ormonde  to  the  command  of  his  own  guards.  He  fought  very  bravely  at  the 
battle  of  Rathmines.  He  left  Ireland  with  Ormonde  in  December,  1650,  On  hearing  that 
the  royal  standard  was  set  up  in  the  Highlands  of  Scotland,  he  took  leave  of  Charles  II., 
who  was  then  at  Paris,  passed  into  England,  assembled  a  body  of  cavaliers  at  Barnet  near 
London,  and  travcrstd  the  whole  of  England  by  marches  conducted  with  so  much  skill,  dex- 
terity and  spirit,  that  he  safely  united  his  handful  of  horsemen  with  the  lliglilanilers  then  in 
arms.  After  several  months  of  desultory  warfare,  in  which  Wogan's  skill  and  courage 
gained  him  the  highest  reputation,  he  hail  the  misfortune  to  be  wounded  in  a  dangerous, 
manner,  and  no  surgical  aid  being  at  hand,  he  terminated  his  short  but  gloriou'r  career. 
See  Scott's  Waverly,   chap   29,  and  Clarendon's  Hisf.  of  the  Rebellion ,  vol.  iii.  p.  507. 


CROMWELL   /x\    IRELAND.  101 

and  an  attempt  to  shake  off  their  autliority.  But  Ormonde  found 
means  to  ehide  their  objections,  and  Wogan  was  permitted  to  remain. 
One  hundred  and  twenty  English  officers  of  Ormo;ide's  life-guard, 
whose  fidelity  had  been  well  tried  by  long  service  on  the  King's  side, 
were  sent  to  aid  in  the  defence.  From  the  citizens  of  VVaterford  he 
got  forty  barrels  of  powder  and  a  sufficient  quantity  of  provisions  to 
enable  the  besieged  to  make  a  lengthened  resistance.  Lord  Castle- 
haven  was  sent  to  consult  with  the  Governor  on  the  plan  of  defence 
to  j)e  followed  ;  and  seeing  the  situation  of  the  besieging  force,  they 
resolved  on  making  a  sally  on  a  party  of  foot  belonging  to  the  enemy 
that  lay  encamped  in  the  neighborhood. 

Castlehavcn   gives    the    following    account    of    this    affair    in    his 
Memoirs  : 

"  The  Marquis  of  Ormonde  had  returned  over  tlie  bridge  at  Ross,  and  encamped 
on  the  Kilkenny  side.  From  thence  he  sent  me  to  I'assage,'  in  tiie  county  of  Water- 
ford,  over  against  Ballyliask,  to  look  after  tlie  relieving  of  Duncannon,  besieged  by 
some  of  Cromwell's  people.  I  think  Ircton  commanded.  And  though  there  were 
parliament  ships  before  it,  I  ventured  one  morning  with  a  boat,  and  got  into  the 
place  to  the  governor,  a  brave  gentleman,  one  Colonel  Wogan,  whom  the  Lord 
Lieutenant  had  sent  some  time  before  thither  to  command  :  and  with  him,  besides 
the  Irish  garrison,  about  a  hundred  English  officers  who  had  served  the  King  in 
the  wars  of  England.  This  gentleman,  from  the  highest  part  of  the  rampart, 
showed  me  how  the  enemy  lay.  After  I  had  well  considered  all,  I  offered  to  send 
him  that  night,  by  sea,  eighty  horses  with  saddles  and  pistols,  if  he  could  mount 
them  with  so  many  of  his  English  officers,  and  before  day,  with  them  and  some 
foot,  make  a  sharp  sally  upon  the  enemy.  lie  liked  the  proposal  extremely,  but 
doubted  much  my  performance,  it  being  ainnit  three  miles  by  sea.  I  desired  him  to 
leave  that  to  me,  and  assured  him  he  should  shortly  be  satisfied  of  what  I  under- 
took. Having  thus  concluded,  I  took  my  boat,  returned,  and  immediately  set  myself 
to  my  business  that  I  might  lose  no  time,  because  the  tide  served  at  the  beginning 
of  the  night;  and  having  provided  boats,  I  commanded  eighty  horse  to  go  to  the 
sea-side.  I  caused  them  to  be  boated  out  of  hand  and  sent  them  awav.  They  all 
came  to  Duncannon  safe  and  undiscovered:  all  was  executed  as  designed,  great 
slaughter  made  and  the  cannon  seized.  For  the  confusion' among  tlie  enemy  was 
great,  by  reason  that  they  judged  it  the  falling  in  of  an  army  from  abroad,  seeing 
horses  come  against  them,  and  knowing  of  none  in  the  fort.  Our  people  retiring 
before  day,  the  enemy  raised  the  siege  in  the  morning  and  marched  off." 

Cromwell's  ai^my  was  already  much  weakened  by  the  manning  of 
the  garrisons  in  the  towns  and  forts  that  had  surrendered  to  his  army. 
The  country  sickness,. the  effect  of  a  climate  especially  injurious  in 
the  winter  season  to  strangers,  was  spreading  rapidly  through  the 
army.  Colonel  Morton,  "a  person  of  great  integrity  and  courage," 
who  had  rendered  good  service  in  the  course  of  the  previous  summer 
in  quelling  some  of  the  Welsh  mutineers,  had  fallen  a  victim  to  it. 
It  was  found  necessary  to  send  for  a  reinforcement  from  Dublin,  where 
many  of  the  soldiers  that  had  been  disabled  by  sickness  and  wounds 
had  been  left  behind.  About  800  foot  and  350  horse  accordingly  set 
out,  under  the  command  of  Major  Nelson.  They  were  supported  by 
two  troops  of  Colonel  Michael  Jones'  regiment,  under  Major  Meredith 
and  Captain  Otway.     They  reached  Arklow  on  the  first  of  November. 


^  Passage  is  on  the  Waterford  side  of  the  river,  B.illyhack  on  the  Wexford  side,  about 
three  miles  above  Duncannon.  I]allyhack  castle  is  still  standing  ;  only  a  small  part  of  the 
castle  of  Passage  is  remaining  ;  both  are  close  to  the  water's  edge. 


102  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


A  week  before,  Ormonde,  who  was  then  at  Kilkenny,  had  got  infor- 
mation from  Sir  Luke  Fitzgerald,  that  a  party  of  1,200  foot  and  300 
hors3was  about  to  march  towards  Wexford  to  Cromwell's  aid,  and 
might  easily  be  captured.  A  council  of  war  was  held.  With  the  con- 
sent of  the  Commissioners  of  Trust,  it  was  agreed  that  Inchiquin, 
who  then  lay  at  Tinnehinch  in  the  county  of  Carlow,  should  be 
despatched  through  Scollagh  Pass  with  1,600  foot  and  600  horse  to 
intercept  them.  He  left  Tinnehinch,  and  advanced  southward  through 
the  Pass.  Cromwell  was  informed  by  his  spies  of  Inchiquin's  move- 
ments, and  sent  a  messenger  to  warn  his  friends  of  the  danger ;  he 
bade  them  march  in  close  order  and  make  all  possible  haste  to  join 
him  at  Wexford. 

They  rested,  for  two  days  at  Arklow  to  recruit  themselves  and 
make  arrangements  to  have  a  strong  detachment  of  horse  from  the 
army  sent  to  meet  them  at  Glascarrig,^  midway  between  Arklow  and 
Wexford,  where  they  intended  to  take  up  their  quarters  for  the  night. 
The  plan  failed  ;  their  friends  did  not  meet  them  at  the  appointed 
l^lace.  Yet  knowing  that  the  enemy  was  not  far  off,  they  thought  it 
better,  however  weary  they  were,  to  march  seven  miles  further  towards 
Wexford  and  pass  the  night  there  :  in  this  way  they  hoped  to  deceive 
the  enemy,  who  they  were  told,  was  lying  somewhere  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, intending  to  fall  on  their  quarters  early  the  next  morning. 
Inchiquin  had  information  from  his  scouts  of  their  movements.  He 
hurried  off  with  all  his  horse  and  a  few  light  foot  in  pursuit;  the  rest 
of  the  foot  were  ordered  to  follow  with  all  possible  speed.  Within 
seven  miles  of  Wexford  the  alarm  of  his  approach  was  first  given,  one 
of  the  enemy's  offtcers,  who  rode  some  distance  in  front  of  his  troop, 
having  caught  sight  of  the  cavalry  marching  after  them.  Inchiquin, 
seeing  he  had  overtaken  them,  slackened  his  pace  and  put  his  troops 
in  line.  This  gave  them  ample  time  to  form.  They  drew  up  their 
horse  in  six  single  divisions  ;  160  musketeers  were  placed  on  the  flanks 
of  the  forward  divisions  of  the  horse,  80  on  each  flank  ;  the  main 
body  of  the  foot  was  placed-  in  the  rear.  This  order  they  were  able 
to  keep  for  some  time,  as  the  strand  was  narrow,  having  on  one  side 
a  steep  sand-bank  and  on  the  other  the  sea.  Sut:h  a  position  was 
advantageous  to  them,  since  it  prevented  Inchiquin's  horse  from 
attacking  them  in  full  force.  The  fight  began  by  a  volley  from  the 
musketeers  ;  Meredith's  horse  charging  immediately  after.  The  first 
division  of  Inchiquin's  men  held  their  ground  for  some  time,  and  then 
fell  back  in  good  order  to  the  right  and  left.  The  second  division,  a' 
fresh  body  of  150  horse  next  advanced  against  the  enemy.  These, 
being  somewhat  thrown  into  disorder  by  the  former  charge,  were 
driven  back  ;  most  of  them  ran  off  till  they  came  to  the  main  body, 
who,  letting  their  own  horse  pass  by,  waited  steadily  until  the  assail- 
ants were  within  pistol-shot,  and  opened  on  them  a  well-directed  fire. 
Several  of  the  officers  were  killed.  The  rest  retired  in  great  confu- 
sion. Lieutenant  Warren,  of  Cromwell's  regiment,  who  had  been  in 
the  midst  of  the  enemy,  coming  up,  cried  out  that  Inchiquin's  troops 

1  Here  "the  force  of  Galls  "  landed  with  Dermot  MacMorrough,  in  1167. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  103 

were  in  great  disorder,  and  called  on  his  men  to  charge.  The  horse 
again  advanced.  Inchiquin  received  the  charge,  but  his  lines  were 
soon  broken.  Two  of  his  standards  were  taken.  The  loss  on  both 
sides  was  small  ;^  yet  trifling  as  this  success  was,  it  tended  to  keep 
up  the  respect  with  which  Cromwell  had  hitherto  awed  his  enemies, 
Inchiquin  rejoined  his  foot,  and  returned  to  Ormonde  at  Thomas- 
town. 


1  "I  do  not  hear  that  we  have  two  men  killed,  and  but  one  mortally  wounded,  anc 
not  five  that  are  taken  prisoners."     Letter  of  Cromwell  to  Lenthal,  from  Ross,  Nov.  14th. 


104  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


.  CHAPTER  XV. 

THE    SIEGE    OF    ROSS. 

Cromwell  encamps  before  Ross — Taaffe  Governor  —  Summons  to  Surrender  —  The  Three- 
Bullet  Gate  —  No  Toleration  —  No  Quarter  for  Irishmen  —  No  Mercy  for  Priests  — 
Surrender  of  the  Town  —  Terms  of  Surrender  —  Cromwell's  Lodging  at  Ross. 

Cromwell's  soldiers  were  already  weary  of  the  hardships  of  the 
winter's  campaign,  and  frequently  showed  a  disposition  to  mutiny.^ 
He  quieted  them  with  the  assurance  that  the  expedition  to  Ross 
should  be  the  last  service  demanded  of  tliem  for  the  year,  and  that, 
after  the  capture  of  that  town,  they  should  go  into  winter  quarters. 
On  the  15th  of  October  he  left  Wexford.  Ballyhaly  castle,^  the  res- 
idence of  the  Cheevers  family,  was  besieged  ;  it  was  destroyed  with 
the  exception  of  the  towers,  of  which  there  were  formerly  four.  De- 
tachments were  sent  to  Tintern  and  Dunbrody,  which  reduced  the 
garrisons  there.^  Two  days  later,  he  encamped  before  New  Ross,  a 
walled  town  situated  on  the  river  Barrow,  "  a  very  pleasant  and  com- 
modious river,  bearing  vessels  of  a  heavy  burden."  He  had  with  him 
but  three  pieces  of  cannon.  Ormonde  sent  Sir  Lucas  Taaffe.^  whose 
abilities  he  oyerrated,  with  1,500  foot  to  defend  the  place  —  there 
were  already  1,000  foot  garrisoning  the  town  —  and  hearing  of  Crom- 
well's advance,  he  marched  with  his  army  towards  Ross,  and  encamped 
on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  in  view  of  the  English  army.  The 
enemy,  being  separated  by  the  river,  could  offer  no  opposition  to  his 

^  "  His  army  decays  incredibly  and  will  become  very  inconsiderable  unless  it  be  strongly 
and  timely  recruited  out  of  England,  and  had  been  already  wasted,  had  not  towns  been 
poorly  given  him,  and  the  winter  proved  fairer  than  in  man's  memory  any  winter  hath  been." 
State  of  Armies  in  Ireland,  in  Aphor.  Disc,  vol.  ii.  p.  466. 

2  In  the  parish  of  Kilturk  and  barony  of  Bargy.  It  was  given  to  Colonel  Bunbury, 
the  Cheevers  family  being  obliged  to  "transplant"  to  Killyan,  in  the  county  of  Galway. 
The  castle  and  estates  were  sold  by  the  Bunbury  family  early  in  the  last  century.  Only  one 
of  the  towers  remains.     See  Ktlk.  Arch.  Journal,  for  1863,  p.  319. 

■•  Brief  Chronicle,  p.  5.  These  were  both  Cistercian  abbeys.  Tintern  was  founded  by 
William  Marshal,  Earl  of  Pembroke,  in  1200,  in  thanksgiving  to  the  B.  V.  Mary  for  having 
saved  him  from  shipwreck.  Hence  it  was  called  Sancta  Maria  de  Voto.  Dunbrody  was 
founded  by  Hervey  de  Monte  Marisco  in  1182;  it  was  called  Sancta  Maria  de  Portu.  Arch- 
dall's  Monasticon,  pp.  752  and  736. 

^  He  was  the  third  son  of  Lord  Taaffe;  After  Cromwell's  reduction  of  the  kingdom, 
he  submitted  with  his  brother  Francis,  a  Colonel  of  the  Confederate  army,  and  the  fo'ces 
under  their  command,  upon  articles  concluded  at  Dunmore  ;  yet  he  was  excepted  from  par- 
don for  life  or  estate.  Being  forced  to  leave  Ireland,  he  served  for  some  time  as  colonel  in 
Italy  and  Spain.  He  died  in  Ireland  and  was  buried  at  Ballymote.  ArchdaH's  Peerage, 
vol.  iv.  p.  293.  By  the  author  of  the  Aphor.  Disc,  he  is  called  "  a  common,  cogging  gamester, 
a  routebanke,  and  temporiser  fit  for  any  stamp,  a  prime  member  of  Ormonde's  party  and 
faction."     Vol.  i.  pp.  145  and  173. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND,  105 

comins:^.  Before  taking  over  the  command,  Taaffe  came  to  the  camp' 
and  asked  for  an  order  under  the  Lord  Lieutenant's  hand  for  the  de' 
fence  of  the  town  as  long  as  it  was  possible  ;  and  for  the  surrender 
when  it  should  be  decided  by  a  council  of  the  chief  officers  that  it 
could  hold  out  no  longer. 

On  his  arrival  before  the  town,  Cromwell  sent  the  following  sum- 
mons to  the  Governor  :  — 

(i.)     For  the  Commander-in-Chief  in  Ross.     These: 

Before  Hoss,  i  jth  October,  1 649. 
Sir, 

Since  my  coming  into  Ireland,  I  have  this  witness  for  myself,  that  I  have 
endeavored  to  avoid  effusion  of  blood  ;  having  been  before  no  place  to  which  such 
terms  have  not  been  first  sent  as  might  have  turned  to  the  good  and  preservation 
of  those  to  whom  they  were  offered  ;  this  being  my  principle,  that  the  people  and 
places  where  I  come  may  not  suffer,  except  through  their  own  wilfulness. 

To  tlic  end  I  may  observe  the  like  course  with  this  place  and  the  people  therein, 
I  do  hereby  summon  you  to  deliver  the  town  of  Ross  into  my  hands,  to  the  use  of 
the  Parliament  of  England.     Expecting  your  speedy  answer, 

I  rest  your  servant, 

Oliver  Cromwell. 

The  trumpeter  who  carried  the  summons  was  not  allowed  to 
enter  the  town  ;  his  message  was  received  at  the  gates,  and  he  was 
told  that  an  answer  would  be  given  in  due  time.  The  batteries  ot 
the  besieging  army  were  therefore  got  ready  during  the  night,  and 
preparations  made  for  storming  the  outworks.  Early  on  the  morning 
of  Friday,  the  19th,  the  large  guns  began  to  play.  Soon  after  the 
Governor  sent  the  following  answer  to  the  summons  :  — 

(2.)     For  General  Cromwell,  or,  in  his  absence,  for  the  Commander-in-Chief  of  the 
Army  now  encamped  before  Ross. 


Sir, 


Ross,  \^ih  October,  1649. 


I  received  a  summons  from  you  the  first  day  you  appeared  before  this  place, 
which  should  have  been  answered  ere  now,  had  not  other  occasions  interrupted  me. 
And  although  I  am  now  in  far  better  condition  to  defend  this  place  than  1  was  at  that 
time,  yet  am  I,  upon  the  considerations  offered  in  your  summons,  content  to  enter- 
tain a  treaty,  and  to  receive  from  you  those  conditions  that  may  be  safe  and  honor- 
able for  me  to  accept  of.  Which,  if  you  listen  to,  I  desire  that  pledges  on  both  sides 
may  be  sent  for  performance  of  such  articles  as  may  be  agreed  upon ;  and  that  all 
act's  of  hostility  may  cease  on  both  sides,  and  each  party  keep  within  their  distance. 
To  this  your  immediate  resolution  is  expected  by, 

Sir,  your  servant, 

Lucas  Taaffe. 

To  which  Cromwell  immediately  replied  :  — 

(3.)     For  the  Governor  in  Ross.     These  : 

Before  Ross,  19M  October,  1649. 
Sir, 

If  you  like  to  march  away  with  those  under  your  command,  with  their  arms, 
bag  and  baggage,  and  with  drums  and  colors,  and  shall  deliver  up  the  town  to  me, 
I  shall  give  caution  to  perform  these  conditions,  expecting  the  like  from  you.  As 
to  the  inhabitants,  they  shall  be  permitted  to  live  peaceably,  free  from  the  injury  and 
violence  of  the  soldier. 


lOT)  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 

If  you  like  hereof,  you  can  tell  how  to  let  me  know  your  mind,  notwithstand" 
ing  my  refusal  of  a  cessation.  By  these  you  will  see  the  reality  of  my  intentions  to 
save  blood,  and  preserve  the  place  from  ruin. 

I  rest  your  servant, 

Oliver  Cromwell. 

The  batteries  still  continued  to  play,  and  a  breach  was  soon  made 
in  the  wall,  close  by  the  Three  Bullet  gate.  The  men  were  drawn 
out  in  line,  ready  to  advance  for  the  storm,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Ingolds- 
by  being  chosen  by  lot  to  lead  them.  Taaff  e,  seeing  how  matters  stood 
sent  the  following  reply  :  — 


Sir, 


(4.)     For  General  Cromwell.     These  : 

Ross,  ic)th  October,  1649. 


men  as  have  a  desire  to  depart  may  have  liberty  within  a  convenient  time  to  carry 
away  themselves  and  their  goods  ;  and  liberty  of  conscience  to  such  as  shall  stay; 
and  that  I  may  carry  away  such  artillery  and  ammunition  as  I  have  in  my  command. 
If  you  be  inclined  to  this,  I  will  send  upon  your  honor,  as  a  safe  conduct,  an  officer 
to  conclude  with  you.     To  which  your  immediate  answer  is  expected  by, 

Sir,  your  servant, 

Lucas  Taaffe.* 

To  understand  the  full  meaning  of  Cromwell's  answer  to  the 
above  letter,  we  must  call  to  mind  the  spirit  that  animated  the  Puri- 
tans, and  the  cruelties  which  they  perpetrated  on  Catholics.  Some 
time  before  the  rebellion  broke  out,  it  was  confidently  asserted  that 
Sir  John  Clotworthy,  who  well  knew  the  designs  of  the  faction  that 
governed  the  House  of  Commons  in  England,  had  declared  in  a  speech, 
that  the  conversion  of  the  Papists  was  only  to  be  effected  by  the 
Bible  in  one  hand  and  the  sword  in  the  other.  Sir  William  Parsons 
positively  asserted  that  within  a  twelvemonth  no  Catholic  should  be 
seen  in  Ireland.  On  the  8th  of  December,  1641,  both  Houses  of  the 
English  Parliament  passed  a  joint  declaration,  in  answer  to  the  demand 
of  the  Irish  for  the  full  exercise  of  their  religion,  that  they  would 
born  in  Ireland  out  of  all  capitulations,  agreements,  and  compositions 

1  Bate  says  his  spirit  was  cowed  by  tlie  noise  of  six  or  seven  shots.  Elenc/uts,  &c.  pt. 
2,  p.  2S.  The  tradition  in  the  town  is,  that  he  surrendered  after  the  besiegers  had  fired  only 
three  shots  ;  hence  the  name  given  to  the  gate.  It  was  formerly  called  the  "  Ladies'  Gate"  ; 
bv  some  it  is  thought  to  have  been  the  same  which  was  built  to  commemorate  the  generous 
gifts  of  the  ladies  of  Ross  towards  the  building  of  the  walls  : 

"  Then  they  said  a  gate  they'd  make, 
Called  the  Ladies'  for  their  sake." 

See  Appendix  vi.  :  "  The  Walling  of  Ross."  This  beautiful  specimen  of  Early  English 
architecture  was  pulled  down  by  the  Corporation  in  1845.  ^  stone  fixed  in  the  wall  of  a 
corn-store  near  the  site  bears  the  following  inscription,  recording  the  wit  as  well  as  the  taste 
of  that  body  :  — 

This  is  the  west  side  of 
*  Bewly  Cate,  taken  down 

In  the  year  1845,  by  consent 

Of  the  Town  Commissioners. 

Lord  Mountjoy,  colonel  of  the  Dublin  militia,  was  killed  on  the  same  spot  when  the  town 
was  attacked  on  the  5th  of  June,  179S.  See  A7//C'.  Arch.  Journal  for  1858,  p.  206.  The 
Market  gate  also  was  taken  down  some  years  ago. 


CROMWELL   7A    IRELAND.  107 

hereafter  \.n  l)c  made  with  the  enemy;  and  upon  taking  of  every  such 
Irishman  and  Papist  born  in  Ireland,  forthwith  to  put  such  persons  to 
death.  On  the  23d  December,  1646,  the  Scotch  parliament  ordained 
that  the  Irish  prisoners  taken  at  and  after  the  battle  of  Philipshaugh 
in  all  the  prisons  of  the  kingdom,  should  be  executed  without  any 
assize  or.  process,  conformably  to  the  treaty  between  the  two  king- 
never  give  their  assent  to  any  toleration  of  the  Papist  religion  in  Ire- 
land, or  in  any  other  part  of  his  Majesty's  dominions.  On  the  24th 
of  October,  1644,  the  parliament  of  England  made  an  ordinance 
against  giving  of  any  quarter  to  any  Irishman  or  to  any  Papist  born 
in  Ireland,  taken  in  hostility  against  the  parliament  by  sea  or  land. 
Strict  orders  were  given  to  the  Lord  General,  Lord  Admiral,  and  all 
other  ofificers  by  sea  and  land,  to  except  all  Irishmen  and  all  Papists 
doms  passed  in  act.  "  The  Parliamentary  party,"  says  Clarendon, 
"had  grounded  their  own  authority  and  strength  upon  such  found- 
ations as  were  inconsistent  with  any  toleration  of  the  Catholic  religion, 
and  even  with  any  humanity  to  the  Irish  nation,  and  more  especially 
to  those  of  the  old  native  extraction,  the  whole  race  whereof  they  had 
upon  the  matter  sworn  to  an  utter  extcrpation."  "The  orders  of  the 
parliament,"  says  Borlase,  "  were  excellently  well  executed."  Aeon- 
temporary  writer  says,  the  Irish  Puritans  rioted  in  the  promiscuous 
slaughter  of  women,  old  men,  and  children,  and  the  English  auxiliaries 
openly  avowed  that  they  would  strain  every  nerve  to  extirpate  with- 
out mercy  the  Irish  race.  Some  even  talked,  like  Antiochus  concern- 
ing Jerusalem,  of  making  Ireland  the  common  burying-jdace  of  the 
Irish  people.  Captain  Swanly  took  a  transport  bound  from  Ireland 
to  England  with  150  men  on  board,  sent  by  Ormonde  to  the  King. 
He  selected  70  of  his  captives  and  threw  them  overboard,  because 
they  were  Irish.  In  the  journals  of  the  House  of  Commons  we  find 
that  he  was  called  into  the  House,  and  had  thanks  given  him  for  his 
good  service,  and  a  chain  of  gold  to  the  value  of  ;i{^200.  For  priests, 
above  all,  there  was  no  mercy.  The  Lords  Justices  Borlase  and  Par- 
sons, in  the  beginning  of  the  rebellion,  had  forbidden  any  quarters  to 
be  given  to  those  Catholics  whom  they  found  in  arms,  and  principally 
all  priests,  as  being  known  incendiaries 'of  the  rebellion  and  prime 
actors  in  exemplary  cruelty.  When  any  forces  surrendered,  they  were 
always  excepted ;  they  were  thenceforth  out  of  protection,  to  be 
treated  as  enemies  that  had  not  surrendered.  Pym  boasted  that  not 
a  priest  would  be  left  in  Ireland.  "  We  have  three  beasts  to  destroy, 
that  lay  burdens  on  us,"  said  one  of  the  party;  "  the  first  is  a  wolf,  on 
whom  we  lay  five  pounds  a  head  ;  the  second  beast  is  a  priest,  on 
whose  head  we  lay  ten  pounds  ;  if  he  be  eminent,  more  ;  the  third 
beast  is  a  Tory."  "Cromwell,"  says  Lord  Macaulay,  "resolved  to 
put  an  end  to  that  conflict  of  races  and  religions  which  had  so  long 
distracted  Ireland,  by  making  the  English  and  Protestant  population 
decidedly  predominant.  For  this  end  he  gave  the  rein  to  the  fierce 
enthusiasm  of  his  followers,  waged  war  resembling  that  which  Israel 
waged  on  the  Canaanites,  and  smote  the  idolaters  with  the  edge  of  the 
sword."  "  During  the  ten  years  of  Cromwell's  government,"  says 
Mr.  Froude,  "the  priests  and  their  works  were  at  an  end." 


108  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 

(5.)     For  the  Governor  in  Ross  :  These  : 

Before  Ross,  i  ()th  October,  1 649. 
Sir, 

To  what  I  formerly  offered,  I  shall  make  good.  As  for  your  carrj-ing  away 
any  artillery  or  ammunition  that  you  brought  not  in  with  you,  or  hath  not  come  to  you 
since  you  had  the  command  of  that  place,  I  must  deny  you  that,  expecting  you  to 
leave  it  as  you  found  it. 

For  that  which  you  mention  concerning  liberty  of  conscience,  I  meddle  not 
with  any  man's  conscience.  But  if  by  liberty  of  conscience  you  mean  a  liberty  to 
exercise  the  Mass,  I  judge  it  best  to  use  plain  dealing,  and  to  let  you  know,  where 
the  Parliament  of  England  have  power,  that  will  not  be  allowed  of.  As  for  such 
of  the  townsmen  who  desire  to  depart  and  carry  away  tliemselves  and  goods,  as  you 
express,  I  engage  myself,  they  shall  have  three  months'  time  so  to  do;  and  in  tlie' 
meantime  shall  be  protected  from  violence  in  their  persons  and  goods,  as  others 
under  the  obedience  of  the  Parliament. 

If  you  accept  of  this  offer,  I  engage  my  honor  for  a  punctual  performance 
hereof.     I  rest  your  servant, 

Oliver  Cromwell. 

(6.)     For  General  Cromwell. 

October  ic)th,  1649. 
Sir, 

I  am  content  to  yield  up  this  place  upon  the  terms  offered  in  your  last  and 
first  letters.  And  if  you  please  to  send  your  safe  conduct  to  such  as  I  shall  appoint 
to  perfect  these  conditions,  I  shall,  on  receipt  thereof,  send  them  to  you.  In  the 
interval,  to  cease  all  acts  of  hostility,  and  that  all  parties  keep  their  own  ground, 
until  matters  receive  a  full  end.     And  so  remains. 

Sir,  your  servant, 

Lucas  Taaffe. 


October  \<)th,  1649. 


(7.)     For  the  Governor  of  Ross. 

Sir, 

You  have  my  hand  and  honor  engaged  to  perform  what  I  offered  in  my 
first  and  last  letters;  which  I  shall  inviolably  observe.  I  expect  you  to  send  me 
immediately  four  persons  of  such  quality  as  may  be  hostages  for  your  performance; 
for  whom'  you  have  this  safe  conduct  enclosed,  into  which  you  may  insert  their 
names.  Without  which  I  shall  not  cease  acts  of  hostility.  If  anything  happen  by 
your  delay  to  your  prejudice,  it  will  not  be  my  fault.  Those  you  send  may  see  the 
conditions  perfected.  Whilst  I  forbear  acts  of  hostility,  I  expect  you  forbear  all 
actings  within.     I  rest, 

Your  servant, 

Oliver  Cromwell. 

"This,"  says  an  old  London  newspaper,  "was  the  last  message 
between  them,  the  Governor  sending  out  his  four  hostages  to  compose 
and  perfect  the  agreement,  and  hereupon  the  batteries  ceased,  and 
our  intentions  to  storm  the  town  were  disappointed.  Thus,  within 
the  space  of  three  days,  we  had  possession  of  this  place,  without  the 
effusion  of  blood  ;  it  being  a  very  considerable  place,  and  very  good 
quarter  for  the  refreshment  of  our  soldiers.  The  enemy  marched  over 
the  river  to  the  other  side,  and  did  -not  come  out  on  that  side  of  the 
town  where  we  had  encamped."  Some  five  hundred  English  soldiers 
that  were  in  the  town,  most  of  them  the  Munster  forces,  entered  the 
services  of  the  parliament :  the  rest,  to  the  number  of  1,500,  followed 
Taaffe  over  the  river  to  Kilkenny. 


CROMWKLL   IN  IRELAND.  109 

After  garrisoning  Ross,  Ormonde  set  off  for  Kilkenny,  to  meet  a 
part  of  Owen  Roe's  army  coming  to  join  him  under  Hugh  O'Neill.  On 
the  way  the  next  morning,  October  19th,  he  heard  the  report  of  Crom- 
well's cannon,  but  he  had  no  notion  that  the  town  would  surrender  so 
soon. 

The  following  were  the  terms  of  surrender  :  — 

Articles  concluded  and  agreed  upon  by  and  bei7vee7t  the  Right  Honorable  the  Lord 
Lieutenant  of  Lreland  of  the  one  part^  and  the  Goverfior  of  Ross  of  the  other 
part,  the  19///  October,  1649:  — 

I.  It  is  concluded  and  agreed,  That  the  Governor  of  Ross,  with  all  his  com- 
mand, may  march  into  Kilkenny  or  Leighlin  bridge,  with  their  arms,  bag  and  bag- 
gages, drums  beating,  colors  flying,  bullet  in  bouche,  bandoliers  full  of  powder,  and 
matches  lighted  at  both. ends,  provided  they  march  thither  in  threp  days,  and  that 
no  act  of  hostility  be  committed  during  the  said  time. 

2.  It  is  concluded  and  agreed.  That  such  townsmen  as  desire  to  depart  and  to 
carry  away  themselves  and  their  goods,  shall  have  three  months'  time  so  to  do  ;  and 
in  the  mean  time  shall  be  preserved  from  violence  in  tlieir  persons  and  goods,  as 
others  under  the  obedience  of  the  Parliament  of  England  ;  and  that  a  convoy  may 
be  sent  with  them  to  secure  them  in  their  journeys. 

3.  It  is  concluded  and  agreed,  That  the  inhabitants  shall  be  permitted  to  live 
peacefully,  and  enjoy  their  goods  and  estates  free  from  the  injury  and  violence  of 
the  soldiers. 

4.  In  consideration  whereof,  the  Governor  of  Ross  is  to  surrender  into  my 
hands  the  town  of  Ross,  artillery,  arms,  ammunition,  and  other  utensils  of  war  that 
are  therein,  by  three  of  the  clock  this  present  day,  except  such  as  were  brouglit  in 
by  the  said  Governor,  or  such  as  came  in  J^ince  he  had  the  command  thereof;  and 
by  two  of  tiie  clock  to  permit  the  Lord  Lieutenant  to  put  three  hundred  men  into 
the  block-house,  gate-house  near  the  breach,  and  the  white  tower  near  the  same. 

5.  For  the  performance  of  the  Articles  on  the  said  Governor's  side,  he  is  to 
deliver  four  such  hostages  as  I  shall  approve  of. 

James  Crarford,  ^   Commissioners 
Math.  Lynell,        1  and 

Thomas  Gaynan,  |      hostages  for 
Math.  Dormer,     J    the  Governor. 

I  do  approve  and  conform  these  articles, 

Lucas  Taaffe. 

An  extension  of  these  articles  was  afterwards  granted  :  — 

I  do  hereby  grant  and  desire  that  the  promises  of  protection  and  all  other  ben- 
efits granted  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Ross  in  the  third  article  concluded 
upon  the  surrender  of  the  said  town,  shall  be  extended  and  continued  to  the  said 
inhabitants,  as  well  after  the  three  months  mentioned  in  the  second  of  the  said 
articles  as  during  that  space,  they  behaving  themselves  peaceably,  and  faithfully  as 
becometh  persons  under  protection,  submitting  to  the  authority  of  the  Parliament 
of  England. 

Given  at  Ross  the  thirteenth  day  of  November,  1649. 

Oliver  Cromwell. 

While  Cromwell  did  continue  in  Ross,  he  lodged  in  the  house  of 
the  sovereign,  Francis  Dormer,  where  did  hang  a  picture  of  my  Lord 
of  Ormonde.  Cromwell  gazing  on  it,  asked  who  it  was  that  it  repre- 
sented }  Being  told,  he  said,  "  The  man  whom  the  picture  concerned 
was  more  like  a  huntsman  than  any  way  a  soldier  ;  "  which  was  most 


110  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


true,  and  the  very  party  so  inclined  by  education  and  nature.  Here, 
too,  the  churches  were  plundered.^  VVhen  leaving,  he  appointed  Col- 
onel Daniel  Axtell  governor  of  the  town.'- 

During  the  siege,  or  soon  after,  a  party  was  sent  to  seize  Bally- 
cerogue  castle,  five  miles  south  of  Ross,  then  in  the  possession  of  the 
Sutton  family.  The  inmates  refused  to  surrender,  and  when  an  attempt 
was  made  to  capture  it,  they  olfered  a  successful  resistance.  71ie 
assailants,  angered  at  their  repulse,  set  fire  to  it  ;  twenty-three  of  the 
family  were  consumed  in  the  flames,  only  two  escaped.^ 

The  following  is  Cromwell's  official  account  to  the  speaker  of  the 
parliament  of  England,  dated  Ross,  October  25th,  1649: 

"  Since  my  last  from  Wexford  we  marched  to  Ross,  a  walled  town  situated 
upon  the  Darrow,  a  port-town,  up  to  which  a  ship  of  seven  or  eight  hundred  tons 
may  come. 

"  We  came  before  it  upon  Wednesday,  the  17th  instant,  with  three  pieces  of 
cannon.  Tiiat  evening  I  sent  a  summons ;  !\h\jor-General  Taaffe  being  governor, 
refused  to  admit  my  trumpet  within  the  town;  but  took  the  summons  in,  returning 
me  no  answer.  I  did  hear  that  near  1,000  foot  had  been  put  into  this  palace  some 
few  da)  s  before  my  coming  to  it.  The  next  day  was  spent  in  making  preparations 
for  our  battery;  and  in  our  view  there  were  boated  over  from  the  otlier  side  of  tlie 
river,  of  English,  Scotch,  and  Irish,  1,500  more;  Ormonde,  Castlehaven,  and  the 
Lord  of  Ardes  being  on  the  other  side  of  the  water  to  cause  it  to  be  done. 

"  Tliat  night  we  planted  our  battery,  which  began  to  play  earl)  the  next  morn- 
ing. The  governor  immediately  sent  forth  an  answer  to  my  summons;  copies  of 
all  which  I  make  bold  to  trouble  )ou  witli ;  the  rather  because  you  may  see  how 
God  pulls  down  proud  stomachs.  The  governor  desired  commissioners  might  treat, 
and  that  in  the  meantime  there  might  be  a  ceasing  of  acts  of  hostility  on  both  sides. 
Which  I  refused  ;  sending  in  word,  that  if  he  would  march  away  with  arms,  l)ag  and 
baggage,  and  give  me  hostages  for  performance,  he  should.  Indeed,  he  might  have 
done  it  without  my  leave,  by  tlie  advantage  of  the  river.  He  insisted  upon  having 
the  cannon  with  him,  which  I  would  not  yield  unto,  but  required  the  leaving  the 
artillery  and  ammunition  ;  which  he  was  content  to  do,  and  marched  away,  leaving 
the  great  artillery  and  ammunition  in  the  stores  to  me.  When  they  marched  away,  at 
least  500  English,  many  of  them  of  the  Rlunster  forces,  came  to  us. 

"  Ormonde  is  at  Kilkenny,  Inchiquin  in  Munster,  Henry  O'Neill,  Owen  Roe's 
son,  is  come  up  to  Kilkenny,  with  near  2,000  horse  and  foot,  with  whom  and  Ormonde 
there  is  now  a  perfect  conjunction.  So  that  now  I  trust  some  angry  friends  will 
think  it  high  time  to  take  off  their  jealousy  from  those  to  whom  they  ouglit  to  exer- 
cise more  charity. 

"  The  rendition  of  this  garrison  was  a  seasonable  mercy,  as  giving  us  an  oppor- 
tunity towards  Munster;  and  is  for  the  present  a  very  good  refreshment  for  our 
men.  We  are  able  to  say  nothing  as  to  all  this,  but  that  the  Lord  is  still  pleased 
to  own  a  company  of  poor,  worthless  creatures,  for  which  we  desire  his  name  to  be 

1  The  bell  in  the  Town  Hall  to  be  given  back  to  Father  Anthony  Mnlloy  for  tlie  Fran- 
ciscan Abbey  of  New  Ko.^s,  formerly  deprived  thereof  by  Oliver  Cromwell.  Council  I'.ook 
of  New  UobS  Corporation,  anno  16S7. 

-  Lieutenant  Colonel  Axtell,  governor  of  Ross,  hath  marched  from  Ross  into  the 
rebels'  quarters  so  far  as  the  county  of.  Kilkenny,  and  from  thence  into  other  parts,  where  he 
hath  been  and  done  good  service,  and  brought  away  both  prisoners  and  good  booty,  /^v- 
fifc^  Dhirnal,  Jan.  9th,  1650. 

^  Annuary  of  the  Kiik.  Arch.  Soc.  for  1855,  ]i  164.  Ballycerogue  castle  was  probably 
built  by  Roger  de  Sutton,  who  came  with  Robert  Fitzstephen  to  Ireland,  and  got  a  grant  of 
land  in  the  barony  of  Shelburne.  William  Sutton  of  ballycerogue  was  one  of  the  Commons' 
represenatatives  at  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Confederate  Catholics  held  at  Kilkenny  in 
1647.  See  Ledwich's  Irishtmuu,  (Sr'c.,  p.  471.  A  considerable  portion  of  the  castle  is  sti" 
standing. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  Ill 


magnified,  and  the  hearts  of  all  concerned  may  be  provoked  to  walk  worthy  of  such 
continued  favors.     This  is  the  earnest  desire  of 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 

"  Oliver  Cromwell." 

On  the  30th  of  October  it  was  ordered  by  the  parliament,  "  that 
it  be  referred  to  the  Lord  Mayor  of  the  city  of  London  to  take  care 
to  disperse  the  said  letters  and  transactions  to  all  the  ministers  within 
London  and  the  Liberties,  who  are  required  respectively  to  read  the 
same  in  their  respective  congregations  on  Tluirsday  next,  and  to  take 
notice  of  this  great  and  wonderful  mercy  in  giving  in  the  fort  and 
town  of  Wexford,  together  with  the  haven  there  and  the  shipping  in 
It,  as  in  addition  to  the  former  mercies,  for  which  that  day  was  set 
apart,  and  to  return  all  humble  thanks  to  Almighty  God  for  the 
same." 


112  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

REVOLT  OF  THE  MUNSTER  GARRISONS. 


Cromwell's  uninterrupted  successes  brought  about  the  revolt  of 
many  of  the  English  garrisons  throughout  the  country,  then  under 
the  command  of  Inchiquin  in  the  King's  interest.  The  Parliament 
had  many  adherents  in  the  south,  v/ith  whom  Cromwell  was  "  in  intel- 
ligence," and  on  whose  support  he  relied.  We  have  already  seen  that 
his  original  design  was  to  land  in  Munster.  The  disaffection  of  the 
southern  towns  was  chiefly  due  to  the  contrivance  of  Lord  Broghill,^ 
afterwards  Earl  of  Orrery,  third  son  of  Richard  Boyle,  first  Earl  of 
Cork.  He  was  born  at  Lismore  in  1621  ;  there  he  was  brought  up  by 
his  father  in  the  strictest  principles  of  Puritanism.  At  the  beginliing 
of  the  rebellion  he  was  placed  at  the  head  of  the  troops  which  his 
father  had  raised  among  the  English  planters. ^  In  the  field  he  dis- 
played both  valor  and  ability.  P"or  some  time  he  acted  under  the 
Parliamentary  commanders  ;  but  the  trial  and  execution  of  the  King 
made  him  abandon  his  new  companions  in  arms.  Besides,  he  was 
disgusted  at  the  legal  toleration  granted  at  the  time  to  the  Catholic 
religion,  which  he  believed  to  be  both  sinful  against  God  and  injuri- 
ous to  the  state.  He  left  Ireland,  and  withdrew  to  Marston  Bigod, 
his  seat  in  Somersetshire.  There  he  lived  for  some  time  in  retirement. 
He  continued,  however,  to  correspond  with  Ormonde,  whose  real  sen- 
timents accorded  with  his  own.  At  length,  growing  weary  of  repose, 
he  determined  to  engage  again  in  public  life.  Very  soon  after  he 
received  a  letter  from  the  exiled  King,  informing  him  that  he  had 
provided  two  small  ships  to  accompany  him  to  Ireland ;  that  he  knew 
what  great  influence  the  Boyle  family  had  among  the  Protestants  of  the 
south;  and  would  much  desire  his  company.  Broghill  was  flattered 
by  the  confidence  shown  him,  and  replied  that  he  would  soon  pay  a  visit 
to  his  Majesty.  Some  of  his  letters  were  intercepted  by  the  vigiLance  of 
Cromwell,  and  copies  of  them  laid  before  the  Parliament,  the  originals 


'  Tuaithe  Brothail.  i.  e.  district  of  IJroghill,  the  name  of  a  manor  and  castle  a  little  to 
the  west  ot  Charleville,  In  the  county  of  Corlv,  formerly  belonging  to  the  Fitzgeralds.  See 
Smith's  History  of  Cork,  vol.  i.  p.  305  ;  Cork,  1S15. 

2  He  was  made  baron  of  Broghill  in  his  eighth  year.  Tie  was  taken  ])risoner  at  the 
bittleof  Liscarroll,  Sept.  3d,  1642,  but  afterwards  rescued  by  his  ])arty.  In  the  same  battle 
his  second  brother,  Lord  Kinaimeaky,  was  killed.  His  youngest  brother  was  the  philos- 
opher, Robert  Boyle  Archdall's  Peerat^e,  vol.  i.  p.  163.  He  died  in  1679,  and  is  buried  in 
the  tomb  of  the  lioyle  family  in  St.  Mary's  church,  Youghal. 


CROMWELL  IN'  IRELAND.  113 

having  been  forwarded  to  their  addresses.  Under  pretence  of  ill  health 
he  had  obtained  through  the  influence  of  his  friend,  the  Earl  of 
Warwick,  permission  to  pass  beyond  the  seas,  in  order  to  visit  the 
German  baths.  His  real  intention  was  to  go  to  Holland  and  obtain 
from  the  King  a  commission  to  levy  troops  in  Ireland,  in  the  hope 
that  by  displaying  zeal  in  the  royal  cause,  he  might  get  back  some  part 
of  his  estates  which  had  been  forfeited. ^  On  his  way  he  passed  through 
London.  Cromwell,  who  was  then  making  preparations  for  the  Irish 
expedition,  heaid  of  his  arrival,  and  being  anxious  to  gain  him  over 
to  the  Parliamentary  party,  sent  an  officer  with  a  request  to  know  at 
what  hour  it  would  be  convenient  for  his  Lordship  to  receive  a  visit 
from  the  General,  as  he  wished  much  to  converse  with  him.  As  Brog- 
hill  had  no  previous  acquaintance  with  Cromwell,  he  was  astonished 
at  receiving  such  a  message,  and  declared  that-  there  must  be  some 
mistake  ;  he  told  the  messenger  to  present  his  duty  to  his  master, 
adding  tliat  he  would  wait  on  him  at  whatever  hour  he  might  appoint. 
A  few  minutes  after  Cromwell  entered  the  room.  He  began  by  ex- 
]n-essing  a  great  regard  for  Broghill,  and  assured  him  that  the  great 
esteem  he  had  for  his  Lordship  was  the  sole  motive  for  his  coming. 
His  Lordship's  designs,  he  said,  were  well  known  to  the  Council  of 
State,  and  they  were  fully  aware  that,  instead  of  proceeding  to  Spa 
for  his  recovery  from  the  gout,  he  was  on  his  way  to  Charles  Stuart, 
to  obtain  a  commission  to  raise  men  and  excite  an  insurrection  in 
Ireland.  Broghill  protested  that  he  was  innocent  of  such  a  crime 
and  incapable  of  playing  so  base  a  part  ;  he  entreated  the  General  to 
give  no  heed  to  such  idle  reports.  Cromwell,  however,  insisted  that 
he  had  ample  proof  of  the  truth  of  all  he  stated,  and  produced  copies 
of  the  letters  which  had  been  intercepted ;  he  added,  that  the  Council 
of  State  had  actually  given  orders  that  he  should  be  arrested  on  his 
arrival  'in  London  and  sent  to  the  Tower  ;  that  he  had  himself  inter- 
posed, and  with  some  difficulty  obtained  permission  to  confer  with 
his  Lordship,  with  a  view  of  diverting  him  from  his  design.  Broghill 
found  it  impossible  to  dissemble  any  longer  ;  he  thanked  Cromwell  for 
his  kindness,  and  asked  his  advice.  Cromwell  replied,  that,  though 
till  then  unacquainted  with  him  personally,  he  was  no  stranger  to  the 
high  reputation  he  had  earned  in  the  Irish  wars  ;  that,  as  he  was  himself 
now  appointed  commander  in  Ireland,  he  had  obtained  leave  from  the 
Council  to  offer  his  Lordshp  a  general  officer's  command  ;  no  oath  cr 
engagement  should  be  pressed  on  him  ;  he  should  only  be  required  to 
fight  against  the  native  Irish.  Broghill  asked  for  a  short  time  to 
deliberate.  He  was  plainly  told  that  he  must  make  up  his  mind  on 
the  spot,  for  it  was  the  purpose  of  the  Council  to  imprison  him  should 
he  hesitate  to  accept  these  terms.  He  closed  with  the  offer,  and  later 
became  the  firm  adherent  and  even  a  personal  friend  of  the  Protector.^ 

1  "The  earl  of  Cork  saith  he  e.\pects  his  brother.  T-ord  Broghill,  here  every  day,  nnd 
that  he  comes  with  intention  to  adhere  to  the  King's  friends  in  Ireland  upon  some  inv  ta  on 
from  your  excellency."     Letter  of  Nicholas  to  Ormonde,  from  Caen,  April  8th,  1649. 

2  Morrice's  Mcinoirs,  prefixed  to  Lord  Orrery's  State  Letter  ,  j^.  9  ;  London,  1742. 
"  Th'is  carl,"  says  King  James  in  his  Mciiioirs.  "  was  famous  for  changing  parties  i-o  ofti  n, 
and  for  making  a  speech  to  Cromwell  to  take  the  title  of  King ;  his  tongue  was  well  hun^, 


11-4  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAXD. 

He  was  told  to  hasten  to  Bristol  where  men  should  be  sent  him,  and, 
in  due  time,  ships  would  call  for  his  transportation  ;  the  main  body  of 
the  army  would  follow  him  without  delay.  He  kept  his  promise  well, 
for  when  Broghill's  name  occurs  in  Irish  history,  it  seems  ever  a  pre- 
lude of  woe  to  the  Irish  people.  On  his  arrival  in  Ireland,^  he  raised 
a  well-appointed  body  of  1,500  foot  and  a  troop  of  horse,  among-  the 
retainers  of  his  family,  English  settlers,  chiefly  from  Gloucester, 
Somerset  and  Devon,  whom  his  father  had  planted  on  the  confiscated 
lands  of  Gerald,  the  great  Karl  of  Desmond,  purchased  by  him  from 
Sir  Walter  Raleigh  and  other  undertakers  in  Munster.^  Of  th^se, 
many  having  adopted  Puritan  principles,  had  been  obliged  to  fly  from 
their  homes  in  England,  on  account  of  the  heavy  penalties  to  which 
all  professing  such  opinions  were  subjected  ;  during  the  Civil  War 
they  were  the  most  decided  enemies  of  the  Stuarts.  Through  these 
he  soon  opened  a  communication  with  the  officers  of  the  different  gar- 
risons in  the  south,  who  were  ready  to  embrace  the  first  opportunity 
that  offered  of  breaking  what  they  termed  an  unholy  alliance  with  the 
Confederate  Catholics.^ 

Colonel  Richard  Townsend  was  the  chief  agent  now  employed  to 
corrupt  the  southern  garrisons  and  to  induce  them  to  revolt.'^  A  year 
before,  he  had  been  found  engaged  in  intrigues  of  the  same  nature, 
and  he  was  in  consequence  deprived  of  the  command  which  he  held.-J 
When  he  heard  of  the  expedition  that  was  preparing  for  Ireland,  he 
professed  a  great  hatred  of  the  republican  party  ;  in  reality,  he  was  a 
spy  sent  over  by  Cromwell  to  corrupt  the  Munster  army.  In  spite  of 
his   previous   misconduct   he  was  restored  to  his  command   by  Inchi- 

he  had  some  good  parts,  and  he  was  reckoned  so  cunning  a  man,  that  nobody  would  visit 
him  or  bf-lieve  what  he  said."  Macpherson's  Original  Papers,  vol.  i.  p.  43,  quoted  in  Curry's 
Review,  &c.,  voh  ii.  p.  102. 

'  Carte  says  he  landed  at  Wexford  in  October,  1649. 

2  See  O' Flanagan's  Minister  lUackivater,  p.  8  ;  J.oudon,  1844,  "The  county  of  Cork, 
by  the  noble  plantations  made  by  the  earl  of  that  name,  became  the  best  inhabited  with  Eng- 
lish of  any  county  in  that  kingdom."     Cox's  Hib.  Angl.,  Reign  of  Charles  1.,  p,  95. 

3  "  Upon  this  occasion  I  must  needs  say  that,  in  the  bringing  in  of  divers  garrisons, 
his  lordship  hath  been  most  emineiUly  serviceable  unto  you  ;  and  I  do  earnestly  and  humbly 
desire  he  may  be  taken  into  consideration,  his  lortlship  never  having  shruidc  from  your  inter- 
est, though  under  as  great  trials  and  necessities  as  any  man,  he  having  his  whole  fortune 
under  the  power  of  the  enemy,  which  was  in  Ireland,  and  that  little  in  England  so  engaged 
that  I  dare  say  his  wants  were  scarce  to  be  paralleled  ;  and  as  yet  his  estate  lies  in  those 
countries  which  are  in  the  enemy's  power.  Sir.  I  take  no  pleasure  to  mention  tliose  things 
of  charge  ;  but  where  eminent  services  are  done,  and  those  enabling  the  .State  to  give  marks 
of  their  favor  and  good  acceptance,  I  trust  it  will  be  accounteil  no  fault  in  me  to  represent 
the  merits  of  men  to  you."  Cromwell  to  Lenthal,  Dec.  19th,  1649,  i'^  Apkor.  Disc,  vol.  ii. 
p.  467,  appendix  44. 

■*  See  in  A]3peudix  vii.  the  depositions  of  each  of  the  conspirators  in  reference  to  tin 
part  he  took  in  the  revolt  and  capture  of  the  Munster  garrisons. 

^  In  November,  1648,  Colonel  To\ynsend  and  Colonel  Doyley,  in  the  name  of  th' 
Munster  army,  sent  projjositions  to  the  parliament  of  England.  Colonel  Temple  arrived  ii 
the  harbor  of  Kinsale  with  two  frigates,  being  sent  by  the  Committee  of  Derby  House  tt, 
treat  with  them.  Ormonde  intended  to  seize  them  and  deprive  them  of  their  command 
They  did  not  care  to  stand  a  trial  before  a  court  martial,  so  cpiitted  their  employments  and 
departed  for  England  Life  of  Onnomte,  vol  ii.  p.  47.  J.ater  he  ])assed  patents  for  large 
estates  in  the  south  west  of  the  county  of  Cork.  He  was  member  for  Baltimore  in  the  Iris' 
parliament  of  1661,  and  high  sheriff  of  tiie  county  in  1671.  He  was  the  ancestor  of  tl^ 
Castletownsend  family.     V>\ii\<.€ -a  Lari Jed  Gentry,  ]i.  1507;  London,  1863. 


CROMWELL   IN   IRKLAND.  115 

qr.in,  who,  constantly  changing  sides  himself  for  the  most  trivial 
reasons,  thoiiglit  that  those  under  his  command  should  be  models  of 
fidelity  and  honor.  About  the  end  of  September  an  attempt  was  made 
by  him  and  Colonels  Gifford  and  Warden,  to  get  hold  of  the  town  of 
Youghal  and  to  seize  on  Inchiquin.  Sir  Piercy  Smith,  the  governor, 
was  also  one  of  the  conspirators.  An  officer  to  whom  they  had  made 
l;no\vn  their  plans  in  the  hope  of  gaining  him  over,  rode  .off  in  all 
haste  to  Castle  Lyons,  where  Inchiquin  then  v/as,  and  told  him  of  the 
intended  revolt.  They  were  immediately  seized  and  imj)risoned. 
Sir  ricrcy  Smith,  who  had  got  timely  notice  of  their  capture,  seized 
on  Colonel  Wogan  and  some  Royalists,  who  were  then  in  the  town, 
and  stood  upon  the  defence.  Inchiquin  invested  the  place.  Smith, 
seeing  that  Cromwell  could  send  him  no  aid,  offered  to  submit  upon 
a  piomise  of  indemnity  for  himself,  of  release  of  the  officers,  and  the 
removal  of  the  Royalists.  Either  because  he  had  not  the  means  of 
reducing  tlie  place  by  force,  or  because  he  preferred  gaining  them  over 
by  fair  means,  Inchiquin  agreed  to  these  terms. 

On  the  1 6th  of  October  the  garrison  and  citizens  of  Cork  threw  off 
their  allegiance  to  the  King.  The  garrison  was  composed  entirely  of 
English  ;  Inchiquin  having  stipulated  that  he  should  have  entire  con- 
trol over  the  garrisons,  had  refused  to  allow  any  Irish  troops  to  remain 
within  the  walled  towns.  They  could  not  endure  the  thought  of  join- 
ing with  the  Irish  against  their  own  countrymen  ;i  they  declared  that 
the  quarrel  was  no  longer  between  the  King  and  the  parliament,  but 
rather  a  national  one  between  the  English  and  the  Irish,  which  could 
be  brought  to  an  end  no  other  way  than  by  seizing  on  the  lands  and 
rechicing  the  people  to  the  state  of  serfs.  They  thought  they  had  as 
good  reason  for  surrendering  now  as  they  had  for  surrendering  Dublin 
two  years  before  to  the  parliament.  The  following  account  of  the 
revolt  is  given  in  a  letter  of  Colonel  Deanc  to  the  Speaker  of  the  House 
of  Commons,  written  from  Milford  Haven,  and  dated  November  the 
8th,  1649.  The  writer  says  he  has  had  a  clear  narrative  of  it  by  one 
who  was  an  actor  in  the  whole  business  :  — 

"  The  1 6th  of  October,  at  ni^ht,  Colonel  Townsend,  Colonel  Warden,  and 
Colonel  Giliord,  being  there  prisoners  for  the  business  of  Youghal,  were  ordered  to 
be  disposed  into  three  different  castles.  Next  day  some  of  the  officers  in  the  town 
came  to  these  gentlemen  that  night,  and  told  them  they  were  undone  unless  they 
would  stand  by  them,  for  they  would  else  be  slaves  to  the  Irish.  Upon  which  the 
three  colonels  replied,  that  if  they  would  fetch  for  each  of  them  a  sword  and  pistols, 
they  would  live  and  die  with  them,  which  was  done;  and  the  guards  perceiving 
them  coming  down  stairs  armed,  cried  out,  "We  are  fof  you,  too  ;  "  and  from  thence 
marched  to  the  main  guard,  and  they  immediately  declared  with  them,  upon  this 
general  consent,  crying,  "  out  with  all  the  Irish."  In  which  all  the  townsmen  that 
were  English  and  the  soldiers  unanimously  agreed,  and  put  it  presently  into  execu- 
tion. They  put  out  next  morning  their  Major-General  Starling,  and  these  few  that 
dissented  ;  and  since  that  Youghal  has  done  the  same.  And  those  of  Youghal  had 
sent  to  Colonel  Gifford,  the  present  governor  of  Cork,  to  send  Colonel  Warden,  with 

^  "The  county  of  Cork,  being  inhabited  and  garrisoned  with  Englishmen,  could  not 
endure  the  thoughts  of  joining  with  the  Irish  against  their  countryman.  They  knew  that  the 
Jrisli  aimed  at  their  destruction  in  the  end.  They  remembered  the  reasons  of  stirrcnderinf, 
Dublin  to  tlie  Parliament  two  years  before,  and  they  thought  they  had  the  same  motive  to 
submit  now,"     Cox's  I/ib   Aftgi.,  Reign  of  Charles  ii ,  p.  12. 


1113  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 

a  hundred  horse,  to  their  assistance,  for  tliey  had  seized  on  Sir  Piercy  Smith,  their 
governor,  and  Johnson,  who  liad  betrayed  ihcni  formerly,  and  some  others,  and  had 
secured  the  castle." 

A  Cromwellian  of  the  time  describes  the  occurrence  in  the  follow- 
ing strain  of  quaint  humor  and  malignant  triumph  :  — 

"Sir  Robert  Starling  was  governor  there,  who  little  dreamed  of  losing  his 
command,  yet  found  he  had  lost  it  when  he  waked.  One  may  truly  say  he  was 
taken  napping;  but  I  must  acknowledge,  to  e.xtenuate  his  misfortune,  that  he  was 
divested  of  his  government  in  the  dark,  and  consequently  could  not  see  to  prevent 
it.  Sure  this  major-general  lost  his  way  into  that  office,  and  was  as  much  surprised 
at  having  got  that  employment  as  we  were  to  see  him  in  it.  His  ignorance  was  so 
great  it  passed  for  his  religion,  for  never  any  that  saw  him  draw  up  the  army  but 
concluded  he  relied  on  I'rovidence  for  the  victory,  he  made  so  little  use  of  the 
means  of  obtaining  it.  lie  has  now  done  that  too  which  he  never  did  to  this  reg- 
iment, I  mean  exercised  ;  and  the  word  of  command  is,  'as  you  are,'  that  is,  reduced 
to  his  primitive  existence,  which  affords  him  the  stoic's  motto,  ■  ouDiia  iiiea  inecitm 
porto^  This  makes  me  that  I  believe  he  vvill  think  these  last  eight  years  a  dream, 
and  tiiat  he  was  never  really  waked  out  of  it  but  when  these  rude  fellows  at  Cork 
presumed  to  do  it. 

Lady  Fanshawe,  the  wife  of  Sir  Richard  Fanshawe,^  gives  soine 
further  details  of  what  Carlyle  calls  "the  universal  hurly-burly"  that 
followed  on  the  revolt  :  — 

"  I  was  lying  ill  in  my  bed,"  she  writes  in  her  Memoirs,  "  when  Cork  revolted. 
It  was  in  the  beginning  of  November."  At  midnight  I  heard  the  great  guns  go  off, 
and  thereupon  1  called  upon  my  family  to  rise,  which  I  did  as  well  as  1  could  in 
that  condition.  Hearing  lamental)Ie  slirieks  of  men,  women  and  children,  1  asked 
at  a  window  the  cause.  They  told  me  they  were  all  Irish,  stripped  and  wounded,  and 
turned  out  of  the  town  ;  and  that  Colonel  Jeffries,^  and  some  others  had  possessed 
themselves  of  the  town  for  Cromwell.  Immediately  I  packed  up  my  husband's 
cabinet  —  by  chance  he  was  gone  to  Kinsale  on  busmess  that  day  —  with  all  his 
writings,  and  near  _^i.oco  in  gold  and  silver;  and  about  tliree  o'clock,  by  the  light 
of  a  taper,  I  treaded  my  way  to  the  market-place,  and  sought  out  and  found  Colonel 
Jeffries.  I  reminded  him  of  the  many  civilities  he  had  received  from  my  husband. 
Jeffries  gave  jne  a  pass  for  myself,  family  and  goods.  With  this  I  returned  through 
thousaniis  of  naked  swords  to  the  Red  Abbey. ■•  I  there  hired  a  neighbor's  cart,  and 
with  my  servants,  my  sister,  and  my  little  girl  Nan,  got  safe  to  the  garrison  of  Kin- 
sale." 

1  Memoir  of  Lady  Fanshawe,  p.  77  ;  I  ondon,  1S30.  Sir  Rich.ird  was  at  this  time  pay- 
master to  the  fleet  of  I'rince  Rupert.  At  i\\<t  Kestoration  he  jvas  a[)point.cd  ambassador  to 
the  courts  of  Spain  and  Portugal. 

2  The  revolt  took  place  October  i6th,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  depositions  in  Appendix 
vii. 

^  He  had  command  of  "ye  Watergate  "  ;  it  stood  at  the  end  of  Castle  Street,  where 
Daunt's  Square  now  is.  See  History  of  Cork,  a  lecture  by  John  G.  NPCarthy,  Esq.,  M.  P., 
p  44  ;  Cork,  1869  Colonel  Jeffries  was  ancestor  of  the  Jeffrey  family  of  IMarney,  his  son. 
Sir  James  Jeffrey,  having  purchased,  in  1701,  this  portion  of  the  forfeited  estate  of  the  Earl 
of  Clancarty.     Smith's  Hist,  of  Cork,  vol.  i.  p.  166. 

*  This  was  the  Augustinian  friary,  founded  by  Patrick  de  Courcy.  Baron  of  Kinsale.  in 
1420.  The  tower,  64  feet  Mgb,  and  the  walls  of  the  church  are  still  standing.  It  is  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  city  ;  the  present  Cumberland  Street  runs  over  part  of  the  ground.  See 
Windele's  Historirnl  Notices  of  Cork,  &c.,  p.  64  ;  Cork.  18-59  At  the  suppression  of  the 
religious  houses  this  priory,  with  its  appurtenances,  was  granted  to  Cormac  M'Carthy,  son 
of  'I'eigue  Lord  Muskery.  At  this  time  it  was  inhabited  by  Dean  Boyle,  a  relative  of  the 
first  Lord  Cork,  who  was  then  chaplain  general  of  the  Munster  army,  and  later  lord  chan- 
cellor and  archbishop  of  Armagh.     See  Ware's  Antiquities,  vol,  i.  p.  130. 


CROMWELL   7A    IRELAND.  117 

A  short  time  before  the  Irish  inhabitants  had  lost  ail  they  had, 
having  been  plundered,  by  Inchiquin's  soldiers.  But  bad  as  was  their 
condition  then,  it  was  far  worse  now,  for  during  the  space  of  twenty- 
four  houi-s  they  did  not  know  one  the  miseries  of  the  other,  by  which 
means  the  poor  inhabitants  had  a  greater  sense  of  the  last  than  of  the 
former  plunderers.-^ 

The  good  news  was  made  known  to  the  parliament  without  delay. 
The  House  being  informed  that  Colonel  Ryves,  who  brought  the 
letter,  was  at  the  door,  he  was  called  in,  and  being  come  to  the  bar, 
gave  the  House  an  account  of  the  wonderful  providence  of  God  in 
bringing  in  several  garrisons  in  Munster  without  striking  a  blow.  The 
relation  was  to  this  effect :  — 

"That  the  said  Colonel  Ryves,  being  in  Cork,  where  there  were  only  120 
English,  and  about  100  Scotch,  100  Irish  and  60  fusees;  and  there  being  in  the 
town  .the  council  of  that  province,  the  Major-General,  and  other  chief  officers,  tiie 
said  colonel  was  put  by  his  command  by  occasion  of  his  opposition  and  protesting 
against  the  jiacilication  with  tlie  Irish  ;  yet  it  pleased  God  to  make  him  instrumental 
with  others  in  reducing  tliat  garrison. 

"  And  having  some  interest  in  the  officers,  who  had  been  formerly  under  his 
command,  he  communicated  this  design  only  to  three  in  command,  and  to  Colonel 
Blunt,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Dowith,  who  had  no  command  there,  the  officers,  viz., 
Captain  Myhill,  Captain  Cary,  and  Captain  Burnell,  and  to  some  few  townsmen 
whom  he  knew  to  be  honest  and  faithful,  viz.,  Colonel  Hodder,  Major  I'ierce,  Mr. 
Boly.  Mr.  Cox.  and  some  few  others,  holding  it  not  safe  to  impart  it  to  many,  nor 
any  long  time  before,  lest  it  might  be  discovered. 

"  That  niglit  intelligence  was  given  of  divers  Irish  that  were  to  be  brought  into 
that  garrison,  and  there  being  100  Scots,  and  but  i8  English  upon  the  guard,  the 
business  was  so  ordered  tiiat  the  captain  tliat  was  to  be  on  the  guard  that  night  ex- 
changed with  Captain  Pjurnell,  one  of  those  who  was  privy  to  the  design,  who  hav- 
ing privately  removed  the  main  guard  with  two  companies,  procured  an  order  to  be 
given  to  relieve  the  Scots  at  each  post  by  small  files  at  a  time  with  English,  by 
which  means  the  English  were  able  to  overbalance  them. 

"  Captain  Myhill  was  employed  in  surprising  the  gieat  fort,^  he  having  formerly 
wrought  with  the  ensign  and  corporal  who  managed  the  business,  and  prevailed 
with  the  English  soldiers,  who  were  very  forward,  that  with  forty  men  he  sur];rised 
that  fort  and  the  guard  in  it.  Which  being  done,  and  some  signal  of  it  given  bv 
four  pieces  of  ordnance  and  proclamation  "for  the  Protestant  Keligion,"  and  "the 
English  interest,"  and  so  went  on  to  secure  the  rest  of  the  town.  In  this  action 
Colonel  Gifford,  Colonel  Townsend,  and  Colonel  Warden  were  released  of  impris- 
onment, being  formerly  committed  for  an  attempt  upon  Youghal,  in  which  they  well 
behaved  themselves.  The  soldiers  were  very  nimble  at  it,  and  the  townsmen,  too, 
when  they  saw  the  great  fort  was  taken,  though  till  tlien  tliey  were  not  very  forward, 
rather  out  of  fear  than  wanting  good  affection. 

"And  having  thus  possessed  themselves  of  all  the  guards  and  the  town,  they 
chose  a  committee  of  safety  to  order  and  dispose  of  all  business.  And  it  was 
strange  to  see  how.  it  pleased  God  to  bring  in  the  horse  to  them.  They  began  in 
the  morning  with  but  six  horse;  within  three  days  they  had  sixty;  within  little  niore 
than  a  week  three  hundred.  When  the  Lord  Broghill  and  Colonel  Phayre  came 
thither,  they  were  near  six  hundred,  and  are  now  near  a  thousand,  the  horse  getting 


^  Croni.  Sett.,  p.  i()2.  On  the  22d  of  September,  Philip  Mortell,  one  of  the  bani.shcd 
citizens  of  Cork,  ])cing  ju.st  expelled,  .is  lic  states,  a  second  time  by  the  revolt  of  *he  Kn,u;lish 
garrison  to  Cromwell,  sets  forth  for  Ins  ]ietition,  "that  he  and  all  those  of  his  friends  and 
nation  were  stripped  and  plundered  of  all  they  ever  had,  in  so  much  as  for  the  s'lace  of 
twenty-four  hours  one  did  not  know  the  miseries  of  the  other  ;  by  which  means  the  said 
poor  inhabitants  had  a  greater  sense  of  the  last  than  the  former  plundering";  i  e.,  when 
driven  out  by  Inchiquin  in  1644.     Se".  Accotiiit  of  the  Carte  MSS.,  p.  So. 

2  It  stood  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  the  barracks  in  Cross's  Green.  ' 


118  CROM  WELL  IN  IRELAND. 

off  from  the  enemy  by  20,  30,  40,  and  60  at  a  time,  until  almost  all  the  English  horse 
were  come  into  them^  and  then  none  more  eager  than  they  to  oppose  the  enemy. 

"  15efi)re  they  had  well  settled  Cork,  Inciiiquin,  hearing  what  Cork  had  done, 
came  down  lliither,  and  endeavored  to  cast  in  bones,  and  to  make  division  among 
tiiem  ;  Lut  that  not  prevailing,  it  was  wrought  about  that,  with  the  comiiliance  of 
the  soldiers,  they  had  declared  Inchiquin  an  enemy.  He  seeing  himself  disappointed 
of  his  stratagem,  thought  there  was  no  other  way  hut  force,  and  so  resolved  to  blocK 
up  the  town;  and  to  that  end  he  made  four  garrisons  about  it,  viz.,  one  at  Ronon's 
house,  another  at  I\Iorrough's  house,  a  third  at  the  Blarney,  and  the  fourth  at  Bally- 
graham,  all  at  about  three  or  fuur  miles  distance,  to  block  them  up  ;  but  it  pleased 
God  in  a  short  space  to  remove  them. 

"  The  forces  of  the  town  with  Colonel  Gifford,  beat  up  one  of  the  garrisons  at 
lionon's  house,  and  took  it  without  the  loss  of  one  man,  tlieir  powder  being  blown 
up,  and  so  being  disabled  to  hold  out.  Those  at  Morrough's  and  Blarney  seeing 
that,  deserted  those  two  garrisons,  and  the  fourth  being  English,  were  soon  brought 
to  a  compliance,  and  upon  our  settling  down  before  it  did  surrender  upon  articles; 
which  was  done  colorably,  having  a  design  to  march  to  Kinsale,  and  so  to  be  a 
means  to  get  that  fort  and  the  town;  and  were  a  means  to  draw  them  to  declare  for 
the  same  interest,  and  put  the  English  in  so  good  a  condition  there. 

"  These  proceedings  of  Cork  did  also  give  encouragement  to  Youghal  to  declare 
for  the  Parliament,  and  it  was  observable  that  about  the  time  that  those  proceed- 
i  igs  were  at  Cork,  Inchif[uin,  having  seized  ui)on  the  person  of  the  mayor  and  some 
other  honest  men  of  Youghal,  intended  to  hang  them  for  their  former  action,  but  at 
that  instant,  hearing  w!\at  Cork  had  done,  was  deterred  from  executing  them.  And 
af'er  Cork  and  Youghal  had  thus  declared,  it  was  followed  by  divers  other  garrisons, 
viz.,  Bandonbridge,  Baltimore,  Castlehaven,  Mallow,  MocoUop,  Cappoquin,  Droma- 
nah,  and   Dungarvan. 

"  And  thus  in  a  short  space  that  province,  without  bloodshed,  was  reduced,  by 
which  means  the  army  hath  had  a  great  refreshing,  by  having  all  these  jjlaces  for 
their  winter  quarters,  and  the  English  interest  is  in  a  better  condition  in  that  prov- 
ince now  than  it  was  when  the  pacification  was  made  with  the  Irish.  .  .  .  And  truly 
this  providence  of  God  in  delivering  up  Munster  thus  hath  not  only  hindered  the 
Irish  from  their  winter  quarters,  and  given  them  to  the  army  plentifully  supplied, 
but  will  in  all  probability  save  much  blood  and  treasure,  and  quickly  put  a  period 
to  that  war." 

The  Council  of  State  ordered  that  Cornelius  Glover,  who  brought 
the  news  of  the  rendition  of  Cork,  should  have  ^30  paid  him. 

The  English  garrison  of  Cork  wisely  determined  to  obtain  some 
promise  of  security  of  their  liberties  from  the  Parliamentary  party. 
The  following  were 

T/ie  propositions  scfit  in  by  the  English  Inhahiiants  of  the  city,  suburbs  and  liberties 
of  Cork,  to  his  Excellency  General  Cromwell :  — 

1.  The  said  inhabitants  out  of  a  sense  of  the  former  good  service  and  tender 
care  of  the  Lord  Inchiquin  to  and  for  them,  they  desire  that  an  act  of  oblivion  pass 
for  any  act  committed  which  might  redound  to  the  prejudice  of  his'  lordship  or  his 
heirs:  and  that  he  may  quietly  enjoy  his  own  estate;  and  that* satisfaction  be  made 
for  what  arrears  are  due  to  him  until  the  perfection  of  the  last  peace. 

2.  The  said  inhabitants  for  themselves  desire  that  an  act  of  indemnity  be 
passed  for  any  former  actions  which  they  or  any  of  them  have  done  or  might  be 
supposed  to  have  committed,  whereby  they  anci  every  of  them  may  and  shall  as 
quietly  pass  and  freely  enjoy  their  liberty  and  estates  which  now  they  are  possessed 
of,  or  shall  be,  in  the  same  freedom  as  any  of  the  people  of  England  now  do  or 
shall  do  ;  and  that  all  prize  goods  that  have  been  bought  by  the  said  inhabitants, 
they  may  and  shall  enjoy  them  from  any  that  might  claim  them. 

3.  The  said  inhabitants  desire  that  whereas  the  charter  of  the  city  of  Cork 
hath  been  forfeited  by  reason  of  non  'nadge,  that  there  be  a  charter  granted  to  the 
now  inhabitants  in  as  large  and  ample  manner  as  the  former. 


CROMWELL   JN  IRELAND.  Hi) 


4.  They  can  make  appear  l)y  licket  tlicy  liavc  in  any  way  lent,  disbursed,  or 
delivered  for'tlie  use  of  tlie  army  before  tiie  late  peace,  and  likewise  for  what  they 
or  any  of  them  have  or  sliall  disburse,  either  in  money  or  goods,  since  liie  time  of 
their  present  declaration  ;  and  that  one  of  the  city  be  chosen  to  audify  the  said 
account  on  wiiat  debentures  to  issue  for  payment. 

5.  The  said  inhabitants  desire  that  what  they  shall  make  appear  is  due  unto 
tlicm  liy  speciality  or  otherwise,  from  any  person  or  persons  whatsoever,  before  or 
since  tiie  wars,  satisfaction  be  made  as  to  justice  appertaineth. 

(').  That  all  English  garrisons  and  persons  that  will  come  in  and  submit  to 
tiiese  ])roi  1  si  lions  shall  have  tiie  Ijenelit  of  tiie  same. 

7.  That  all  lands,  messuages,  and  tenements  within  the  said  city  and  county 
tliereof  that  was  held  in  burgage,  to  be  totally  confirmed  on  the  now  inhabitants  of 
tiie  said  city  ;  and  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  city  and  suburbs  be  regulated 
into  a  regiment,  under  the  command  of  Mr.  John  llodder,  as  colonel,  to  be  in  pay 
when  they  pass  on  duty,  not  else." 

To  these  demands  Cromwell  sent  the  following  reply  :  — 

By  the  Lord  Lieutenant-General. 

Ans7ucr  to  the  several  desires  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Cork,  sent  by  their  Commis- 
sioners, received  A'ovember,  i6j.g. 

T.    I  shall  forbear  to  answer. 

2.  The  inhabitants  of  the  city  of  Cork  that  have  joined  in  the  late  declaring  of 
the  parliament,  shall  be  fully  indemnified  for  anything  that  passed,  as  is  desired, 
so  as  to  restore  them  to  the  same  condition  of  freedom,  privileges  and  safety  that 
they  were  in  before  the  Lord  of  Inchiquin's  defection;  and  as  if  the  same,  or  any- 
thing that  had  ensued  thereupon  had  never  been.;  and  particularly  shall  enjoy  the 
benefit  of  any  prize  goods  they  have  bought,  without  being  troubled  or  damnified  for 
the  same. 

3  That  the  charter  of  the  city  of  Cork  shall  be  renewed  as  is  desired,  and  no 
advantage  taken  of  the  forfeiture  mentioned. 

4.  For  what  they  have  lent,  disbursed,  or  delivered  for  the  public  service 
since  this  declaration,  or  hereafter  shall  lend  or  rtdvance,  it  shall  be  satisfied  with 
all  speed  out  of  the  revenue  or  income  of  these  ports  out  of  which  it  may  be  best 
and  safest  done  ;  which  I  leave  to  themselves  to  think  and  dispose  of ;  and  for  any- 
thing so  due  to  them  from  the  public  before  the  Lord  Inchiquin's  defection,  they 
shall  have  the  same  right  and  be  in  the  same  capacity  of  satisfaction  as  before  (he 
said  defection  they  were;  and  I  shall  endeavor  it  for  them  equally  as  to  any  others 
to  whom  such  debts  from  the  public  are  due,  by  all  ways  and  means  in  my  power; 
but  for  any  thing  lent,  disbursed,  or  delivered  as  to  the  jiublic  use  since  llie  said 
defection  and  before  the  said  declaration,  it  cannot  be  otherwise  considered  but  as 
damage  suffered  by  persons  well-affected,  living  under  the  power  of  an  enemy;  and 
in  that  nature,  so  far  as  anything  shall  appear  to  have  been  forcibly  taken  from  such 
persons,  it  shall  be  considered,  examined,  and  represented  to  the  parliament,  to  be 
satisfied  according  to  the  damage  of  any  other  well-affected  person  in  Ireland. 

5  For  any  debts  due  from  any  private  persons,  they  shall  be  left  to  their  full 
legal  rights. 

6.  As  all  that  is  granted  to  the  soldiers  and  inliabitants  of  Cork,  Youghal,  and 
other  neighboring  places  that  have  already  corresponded  or  joined  with  them  in 
their  late  declarations,  is  most  fully  and  heartily  granted,  because  not  bargained  tor 
before  their  declaring,  and  because  to  men's  appearing  by  the  carriage  of  the  busi- 
ness to  have  done  what  they  have  done  therein  really  from  a  recommended  sense  of 
an  affection  to  the  English  Parliamentary  and  Protestant  interests  in  this  nation,  so 
to  any  odier  places  or  persons  that  having  been  formerly  of  the  Parliamentary  partw 
shall  so  come  in  as  it  appears  to  be  from  the  said  sense  and  affection,  and  not  Irom 
l^ilicy  or  necessity,  I  shall  bear  the  same  mind  and  have  i*ie  same  readiness  to  do 
them  good  and  not  hurt. 

7.  Not  fully  understanding  the  nature  or  extent  of  the  thing  desired,  I  can 
give  no  present  full  resolution,  but  shall  be  ready  to  do  them  full  right  in  all  things, 
and  also  to  perform  any  such  good  office  of  respect  within  my  power,  unto  the  said 


BOSTON  COLLEGE  LIBHAUY 


120  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


city  of  Cork,  as  may  be  a  reward  and   memorial  of  their   faithful   and  public  office 
which  in  these  late  occurrences  I  really  think  they  have  deserved. 

Lastly,  as  to  their  desiring  other  papers  concerning  the  militia  of  the  city  of 
Cork,  I  am  very  willing  that  the  inhabitants  be  formed  into  a  regiment  under  tlie 
command  of  Mr.  John  Hodder  as  Colonel,  Mr.  Maurice  Cuffe  as  lieutenant-colonel, 
Major  Boreman,  major  ;  and  the  regiment,  or  any  part  thereof,  ivhen  called  on  duty, 
to  have  the  State's  pay.  For  other  officers  of  the  regiment,  I  leave  it  to  the  said 
officers,  or  any  two  "of  them,  to  nominate,  and  to  the  Lord  of  Broghill,  Sir  William 
Fenton,  Colonel  Phayre,  for  approbation,  to  whom  I  refer  it. 

(Signed), 

O.  Cromwell. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND,  121 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

REVOLT    OF    THE    MUNSTER    GARRISONS    {cofliinued.) 

Revolt  of  Kinsale  and  Bandoa  —  Propositions  of  the  Governor  of  Bandon  —  Revolt  of 
Yoiiglial  —  Surrender  of  Cappocjuin,  lialtiniore,  Castlchaven  and  Mallow  —  Act  of 
Iiuleniiiity  —  The  Forty-nine  Arrears  —  I'rivilcge  of  Kinsale  and  Youghal — Conse- 
quences of  the  Revolt  —  The  Royalist  Fleet  —  Letter  of  Cromwell. 

Before  Cork  revolted,  Colonel  Crosby  was  sent  by  Lord  Inchi- 
quin  with  500  Irish  soldiers,  to  secure  the  town  and  fort  of  Kinsale  for 
the  King.  The  commonalty  of  the  town  shut  the  gates  against  him  ; 
but  the  sovereign  and  other  chief  men  went  out  and  agreed  that  he  and 
his  party  should  be  admitted  into  the  town.  He  stayed  there  about 
a  week,  and  then  retired  to.  the  fort.  During  that  time  he  oppressed 
the  town  exceedingly  ;  not  only  dcinanding  gifts,  but  also  exacting 
money  and  provisions  from  the  inhabitants,  which  put  the  town  upon 
"declaring."  Some  of  the  English  inhabitants  met,  and  asked  some 
of  the  Irish,  the  sovereign  in  particular,  to  join  them.  At  first  he  was 
unwilling,  and  wept  ;  but  he  soon  consented.  They  drew  up  a  letter 
and  addressed  it  to  Lord  Broghill  and  Colonel  Phayrc,  acquainting 
them  of  their  purpose  to  surrender  the  town,  and  asking  some  aid  of 
horse  and  foot  towards  the  taking  of  the  fort.  Captain  Cuffc  was  sent 
with  a  troop  of  horse  into  th(i  barony  of  Courcies,  to  the  side  of  the 
town  where  the  fort  was.  Colonel  Gifford  came  soon  after.  The 
townspeople  planted  a  gun  on  Compass  Hill,  over  against  the  fort. 
After  six  or  seven  shots  had  been  fired,  the  fort  surrendered  ;  soon 
after  it  was  delivered  on  conditions  to  Lord  Broghill. 

Immediately  after  the  declaration  of  Cork,  Inchiquin,  fearing  that 
Bandon  might  follow  the  example  set  it,  sent  Captain  Constantine 
with  a  troop  of  horse  to  take  possession  of  the  town  and  disarm  all 
the  inhabitants.  Two  companies  of  Irish  soldiers  were  sent  into  the 
town  at  the  same  time.  But  seeing  the  disaffection  of  the  townsmen 
to  the  Irish,  he  made  Colonel  Francis  Courtenay  governor,  and  bade 
him  bring  in  his  regiment  of  500  foot  and  remove  the  Irish.  The 
townsmen  came  together  frequently,  and  expressed  their  readiness  to 
attempt  the  seizure  of  the  town,  and  the  imprisonfnent  of  the  officers 
and  guards  for  the  parliament  and  Cromwell.  A  day  or  two  before 
Lord  Broghill  came.  Captain  Braly,  Lieutenant  Berry,  and  some  others, 
succeeded  in  seizing  on  the  western  gate  and  disarming  the  guards. 
Those  who  had  been  appointed  to  seize  on  the  two  other  guards  were 
discovered  and  imprisoned.  Braly  and  his  companions  were  besieged 
in  the  guard  by  the  soldiers  and  obliged  to  yield  themselves  prisoners. 
The  same  night  the  inhabitants  dispatched  a  messenger  to  Lord  Brog- 


122  CROMWELL   /A"  IRELAND. 

hill,  informing  him  of  the  danger  in  which  the  prisoners  were,  and 
asking  him  to  come  to  their  aid  with  some  forces  before  the  town  ; 
they  engaged  that  if  the  governor  did  not  deliver  it  up,  they  would 
seize  the  sentinel,  open  the  postern  gate,  and  admit  him.  Two  hun- 
dred of  the  garrison,  under  the  command  of  Major  Harden,  with  the 
provost  at  their  head,  took  possession  of  two  houses  near  the  sally-port 
at  the  north  side  of  the  town  ;  they  then  surrounded  the  guard-house 
where  the  governor  had  shut  himself  up,  and  forced  him  and  those  with 
him  to  surrender  themselves  prisoners  of  war.  They  told  him  plainly 
that  it  was  useless  for  him  to  oppose  them,  as  they  were  determined  to 
deliver  up  the  town  to  Lord  Broghill.  The  governor  asked  them  not 
to  deliver  him  up,  but  to  give  him  one  hour's  time  to  make  conditions 
for  himself  and  his  party.  This  was  granted,  and  he  departed  with 
his  men  the  second  next  day  and  the  day  following. 

T/ie  Propositions  sent  from  Colottel  Francis  Conrtenay,  Governor  of  Bandon, 
to  iJte  Rii^lit  lIo>iorable  the  Lord  of  Broghill,  for  the  delivery  of  the  said  town  this 
Jjth  day  of  jVove/nber,  i6^q: — 

Imprimis,  that  Colonel  Francis  Courtenay  shall,  without  any  molestation* 
march  with  liis  entire  regiment,  bag  and  baggage, drums  beating,  colors  flying,  matches 
lighted,  bullets  in  their  mouths,  to  the  Lord  of  Inchiquin's  army  or  elsewhere  where 
they  please,  and  that  they  may  have  one  barrel  of  powder  with  bullets  and  match 
proportionable. 

2.  That  all  officers,  soldiers,  and  townsmen,  and  any  other  person  or  persons 
that  will,  may  live  quietly  without  any  molestation,  hindrance,  or  prejudice,  either  in 
body,  goods,  estate,  or  any  other  thing  else  that  to  them  or  either  of  them  belonged, 
in  any  of  the  English  garrisons  or  country,  provided  they  act  nothing  against  the 
Lord  of  Broghill  or  his  party,  now  under  command  of  the  Parliament  of  England. 

3.  That  Colonel  Courtenay  shall,  with  his  entire  regiment  and  all  others  that 
will  go  with  him,  have  two  days'  respite  before  they  march,  and  in  the  meantime  not 
to  receive  any  prejudice  either  for  body,  goods,  or  arms,  by  any  of  the  Lord  of 
Broghill's  party  or  his  Lordship. 

4.  That  Captain  Condon  shall,  with  his  horses,  arms,  baj;  and  basfir^nfe,  have  the 
benefit  of  the  above  articles. 

5.  That  if  any  horses,  cows,  garrans,  or  any  other  manner  of  goods  have  been 
seized  on  by  the  Lord  Broghill's  party  within  one  mile  round  his  town  belonging  to 
the  above  officers,  townsmen,  or  any  of  them  since  liis  Lordsliip's  coming  before  the 
said  town  of   Bandon,  they  shall  be  restored  back  to  the  owners. 

6.  That  the  money  due  unto  Colonel  Francis  Courtenay,  his  officers,  and  soldiers, 
before  these  propositions  by  assignments  from  Sir  Robert  Coppinger  by  virtue  of 
the  Lord  of  Inchiquin's  warrant  to  Sir  Robert,  may  be  suffered  to  be  levied  by  dis- 
tress or  otherwise,  according  to  the  tenor  and  meaning  of  the  said  assignment. 
Provided  it  be  not  charged  upon  any  place  under  the  protection  of  the  Parliament  of 
England. 

Upon  the  surrender  of  the  within  mentioned  town  of  Bandon  to  me  for  the  use 
of  Parliament  of  England,  I  do  hereby  promise  and  engage  myself  to  make  good  and 
perform  the  within  Articles  in  every  particular. 

*  Dated  as  aforesaid, 

Broghill. 

Mention  has  been  already  made  of  the  unsuccessful  attempt  at 
revolt  of  some  of  the  Youghal  garrison.  Colonel  Doane,  in  b.is  letter, 
speaks  of  "  some  officers  who  were  imprisoned  in  Cork  for  that  busi- 
i.^ess."     A  fortnight  after  the  revolt  of  Cork,  hearing  of  the  success  of 


rR')M\\'KLL  ly  IRELAND.  123 

his  comrades  there,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Widcnham,^  of  the  Youghal 
garrison,  invited  a  party  of  cavalry  under  the  conmiand  of  Colonels 
Gifford  and  Warden  to  seize  on  the  tO;vn.  The  Governor,  Sir  Piercy 
Smith,  strove  to  prevent  their  entrance  by  drawing  the  chain  of 
the  iron  gate  ;  but  Widen  ham  called  to  Ensign  Dashwood  and  Town-' 
Major  Smith,  wbo  were  within,  to  seize  the  governor  and  open  the 
gate.  This  they  did,  and  Youghal,  too,  was  given  up  to  the  Parlia- 
ment. The  reward  of  Widcnham's  treachery  was  Castletow  Roche, 
the  ancient  seat  of  Lord  Roche,  who,  with  his  four  young  daughters, 
for  years  after,  "lived  destitute  of  all  kinds  of  subsistence  except  what 
alms  some  good  Christians  did  in  charity  afford  them." 

The  garrisons  of  the  other  walled  towns  in  the  south  hastened  to 
send  in  their  suljmission  ;  Timoleaguc,  Cappoquin,  Baltimore,  Castle- 
liaven.  Mallow,  "and  some  other  places  of  hard  names,"  all  received 
garrisons  of  the  Parliamentary  army.  As  these  soldiers,  being  under 
Inchicpiin's  command  since  1642,  had  revolted  with  him  from  the 
King's  service  to  the  Parliament  in  1644,  and  back  again  to  the  Royal- 
ists in  1648,  they  forfeited  the  arrears  of  pay  due  to  them  for  their 
service  from  1644  to  1648,  even  though  they  now  submitted  to  Crom- 
well. Their  temporary  revolt  from  the  Parliament  barred  their  claim 
to  the  reward  due  to  "constant  good  affection,"  and  made  them  trans- 
plantalile.  An  Act  of  indemnity,  however,  was,  at  the  instance  of 
Cromwell,  passed  five  years  later,  on  the  7th  of  June,  1654,  on  behalf 
of  the  officers  and  soldiers  under  Ormonde's  and  Inchiquin's  command  ; 
and  "in  consideration  of  their  voluntary  rendition  of  Cork  and  the 
adjacent  garrisons,  and  at  a  time,"  says  the  Act,  "  when  the  army 
under  the  command  of  his  Highness,  the  Lord  Protector,  then  Lord 
Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  was  at  a  great  distance  from  them,  and  the 
winter  season  rendered  his  access  to  them  improbable";  it  was  en- 
acted that  such  of  them  as  could  prove  themselves  active  in  the 
rendition  of  these  Munster  garrisons  should  be  allowed  to  state  their 
arrears  accrued  due  since  June,  1644,  and  before  June  5th,  1649,  and 
received  lands  in  satisfaction,  as  if  they  had  never  lapsed  from  their 
obedience  to  the  parliament.  These  were  called  tlie  "Forty-nine 
arrears."  The  rest  of  the  army,  much  against  their  will,  were  obliged 
to  assign  or  give  up  to  them  the  three  counties  of  Donegal,  Longford, 
and  Wicklow,  to  which  Cromwell  added  Lcitrim,  taken  from  what  had 
Ix'cn  i^-eviously  allotted  to  the  transplanted  Irish,  and  so  much  within 
the  mile  line  encircling  Connaught  as  yet  remained  undisposed  of. 
I'"()r  the  purjKxse  of  enabling  them  to  i)rove  their  share  in  the  rendition 
of  these  garrisons,  a  commission  was  issued  by  virtue  of  the  Act  of 
Indemnity  to  take  their  depositions.  It  was  the  aim  of  each  of  them 
to  prove  that  he  and  his  comrades  had  been  active  in  the  revolt.  But 
before  the  lands  were  set  out  to  them,  the  Restoration  took  place. 
The  King  returned  from  e.xile,  and  with  him  came  many  officers  who 
had  been  driven  out  of  Ireland  by  Cromwell  for  their  loyalty  ;  these 
were   styled   "the   Protestant    Royalist   officers   who   had   served   the 

1  Widenbam  afterwards  settled  at  Court,  near  Pallaskcnry,  in  the  county  of  Limerick  : 
liis  grand-daupiitcr  and  heiress  inairicd  Valentine  Quin,  ancestor  of  the  Earl  of  Dunravcn. 
MeviorMls  of  Adare,  p.  187. 


124  CROMWELL  jy  IRELAND. 


King  before  June  5th,  1649,"  or  "  the '49  officers."  By  the  Act  of 
Settlement  they  were  granted  the  hinds  that  had  been  assigned  by 
the  Commonwealth  for  the  '49  arrears  of  the  Cromwellian  officers  and 
soldiers.  The  above  mentioned  depositions  were  now  used  to  bar  the 
Munster  revolters  of  their  claims.^ 

The  ancient  inhabitants  of  Cork,  Youghal,  and  Kinsale,  though 
Catholics,  as  a  reward  for  their  loyalty  to  the  English  interest,  had 
this  privilege  granted  them,  that  they  were  not  forced  to  transplant 
immediately  like  the  rest  of  the  Irish  nation,  but  were  permitted  to 
reside  in  the  county  of  Cork  until  the  Court  of  Commission  should  sit 
at  Mallow.  *  Yet  the  Court,  on  the  29th  of  August,  1656,  refused  to 
adjudge  constant  good  affection  to  any  of  them,  and  declared  them 
by  law  transplantable. 

This  revolt  was  not  merely  a  loss  of  the  strong  places  and  of  men 
to  the  Royalists  in  Ireland  :  it  dissolved  all  their  hopes  and  designs  ; 
it  introduced  a  spirit  of  jealousy  and  distrust  betwen  the  Irish  and 
the  English  in  the  Royalist  army,  which  Ormonde  tried  in  vain  to 
allay.  It  decided  the  fate  of  Ireland,  for  it  gave  to  Cromwell's  army, 
without  the  loss  of  a  drop  of  blood  or  the  striking  of  a  blow,  excellent 
winter  quarters,  and  oj^ened  the  means  of  holding  direct  communica- 
tion at  all  times  with  England,  just  when  his  forces  were  reduced  by 
sickness  and  losses  in  the  field  from  12,000  to  6,000  men,  and  demor- 
alized by  the  repulses  they  had  met  at  Waterford  and  Duncannon.- 

Three  days  after  the  revolt  of  Cork,  Prince  Rupert,  whose  Heet 
had  been  blocked  up  by  the  Parliamentary  ships  in  Kinsale  harbor, 
under  the  command  of  Admiral  Blake,  hearing  of  Cromwell's  approach, 
forced  his  way  through  the  blockade  with  the  loss  of  three  of  his  ships, 
and  sailed  for  Lisbon.^ 

Cromwell  hastened  to  communicate  the  news  of  his  successes  to 
some  of  his  friends.  The  following  was  addressed  to  his  "  beloved 
brother  Richard  Mayor,  Esquire,  Hurstlye  in  the  County  of  Hamp- 
ton," from  Ross,  November  13th  : 

'  Account  of  the  Carfe  MSS.,\i.  \}^().  'r!i<)Ui.;h  the  Act  of  Settlement  preteiuled  to  ex- 
clude the  betrayers  of  the  Minister  garrisons,  yet  they  were  allowed  to  retain  their  debenture 
lands,  if  they  coidd  prove  that  they  made  some  reparation  for  their  former  faults  by  their 
limely  appearance  for  the  King's  restoration.      Croin.  Sett.,  p.  194. 

2  Our  great  security,  next  to  God's  protection  and  the  strength  of  our  army,  is  the 
approaching  hard  season  of  the  year  that  will,  in  all  likelihood,  increase  our  advantages  upon 
passages,  and,  in  so  wasted  a  country  as  he  must  march  through,  expose  his  men  to  the  endur- 
ance of  unusual  hardships."  Carte's  Collection.  &c.,  vol.  ii.  p.  399.  The  above  mentioned 
garrisons  had  been  supplied  by  th'^  Irish  during  the  whole  preceding  summer  to  their  exces- 
sive charge.     Ibid.,  vol.  i.  p.  419. 

8  Whitelocke.  p.  413.  There  he  was  not  only  protected  but  caressed  by  the  King  of 
rortu^al  ;  which  so  much  dis[)leased  Parliament,  that  they  commenced  a  war  with  that 
Prince,  doing  him  great  damages  in  the  trade  and  navigation,  wherein  the  riches  of  the 
nation  do  consist.  When  he  could  neither  by  force  nor  entreaties  be  pursuaded  to  cast  otf 
Prince  Rupert  out  of  his  |)rotection.  the  English  admirals  resolved  with  patience  to  await  his 
coming  out,  and  a  long  time  they  kept  him  in  there,  till  at  last  want  of  provisions  made  thein 
retire,  and  give  the  Prince  room,  who  immediate'y  steered  from  thence  to  Malaga  ;  but  in 
the  voyage,  perplexed  with  extraordinary  storms,  he  lost  his  brother  Maurice,  who,  in  the 
Vice-Admiral,  was  never  since  heard  of.  Himself  being  again  followed  by  the  Parliament's 
generals,  lost  all  his  shijjs  but  two,  which  his  pursuers  looking  upon  them  as  inconsiilerable 
and  not  worthy  their  time  and  pains  to  hunt  after,  returned  and  left  him  sea-room  to  come 
with  them  into  France.     Ibid.,  p.  414. 


CROM\rELL   IN  IRELAXD.  125 

"  It  liatli  pleased  God  to  give  us  since  the  taking  of  Wexford  and  Ross  a  good 
interest  in  Minister,  by  the  access  of  Cork  and  Youghal,  which  are  now  both  sub- 
mitted. The  Commissioners  are  now  with  me.  Divers  other  lesser  garrisons  are 
come  in  also.  Tlie  Lord  is  wonderful  in  all  these  things;  it  is  His  hand  alone  does 
them.  (Ml,  that  all  the  praise  might  be  ascribed  to  Mini!  I  have  been  crazy  in  my 
health,  but  the  Lord  is  pleased  to  sustain  me.     I  beg  your  prayers." 

Some  ftirthcr  details  regarding  the  event.s  spoken  of  in  tliis  and 
the  preceding  chapters,  are  given  by  Cromwell  in  his  letter  from  Ross 
to  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Commons,  dated  November  14th,  1649. 

"  About  a  fortnight  since  I  had  some  good  assurances  that  Cork  may  return  to 
its  obeflience,  and  had  refused  Inchiquin,  who  did  strongly  endeavor  to  redintegrate 
himself  there,  but  without  success.  I  did  hear  also  that  Colonel  Townsend  was 
coming  to  me  with  their  submission  and  desires,  but  was  interrupted  by  a  fort  at  the 
mouth  of  Cork  harbor.  ]]ut  having  sufficient  grounds  upon  the  former  information, 
and  other  confirmation  (out  of  the  enemy's  cam])),  that  it  was  true,  I  desired  (^.eneral 
lUake,  who  was  here  with  me,  that  he  would  repair  thither  in  Captain  Mildmay's 
frigate,  called  the  Nonsuch,  who,  when  they  came  thither,  received  such  an  enter- 
tainment as  these  enclosed  will  let  you  see. 

"  In  the  meantime,  the  Garland,  one  of  your  third-rate  ships,  coming  happily 
into  Waterford  I5ay,  I  ordered  her  and  a  great  prize  lately  taken  in  that  bay  to  trans- 
port Colonel  Pliayre'  to  Cork;  witherward  he  went,  having  along  with  him  near  five 
hundred  foot,  which  I  spared  him  out  of  this  poor  army,  and  ^1,500  in  money; 
giving  him  such  instructions  as  were  proper  for  the  promoting  of  your  interests 
there.  As  they  went  with  an  intention  for  Cork,  it  pleased  God,  the  wind  coming 
across,  they  were  forced  to  ride  off  fron)  Dungarvan  where  they  met  Captain  Mild- 
may  returning  with  the  Nonsuch  frigate,  with  Colonel  Townsend  aboard,  coming  to 
me;  who  advertised  them  that  Youghal  harl  also  declared  for  the  I'arliamctit  of  I'.ng- 
land.  Whereupon  they  steered  their  course  thither,  and  sent  for  Colonel  Gifford, 
Colonel  Warden,  Major  rurden(who  with  Colonel  Townsend,  have  been  very  active 
instruments  for  the  return  both  of  Cork  and  Youghal  to  their  obedience,  having  some 
of  them  ventured  their  lives  twice  or  thrice  to  effect  it),  and  the  Mayor  of  Youghal 
aboard  them;  who,  accordinglv,  immediately  came  and  made  tender  of  some  pro- 
positions to  be  offered  to  me.  But  my  Lord  L'roghill  being  on  board  the  ship,  assuring 
them  that  it  would  be  more  for  their  honor  and  advantage  to  desire  no  conditions, 
they  said  they  would  submit,  whereupon  my  Lord  Broghill,  Sir  William  Fenton,  and 
Colonel  Phayre  went  to  the  town,  and  were  received, —  i  shall  give  you  niy  Lord 
Broghill's  own  words, —  '  with  all  the  real  demonstrations  of  gladness  an  overjoyed 
people  were  capable  of.' 

"  Not  long  after.  Colonel  Phayre  landed  his  foot.  And  by  the  endeavors  of  the 
noble  person  aforementioned  and  the  rest  of  the  gentlemen,  the  garrison  is  put  in 
good  order;  .and  the  mounted  officers  and  soldiers  in  that  garrison  in  a  way  of  set- 
tlement. Colonel  Phayre  intends,  as  I  hear,  to  leave  two  hundred  men  there,  and  to 
march  with  the  rest  overland  to  Cork,  I  hear  by  Colonel  Townsend  and  the  rest  of 
the  gentlemen  that  were  employed  to  me  that  Baltimore,  Castlehaven,  Cappoquin, 
and  someotlier  places  of  hard  names  are  come  in  (I  wish  foot  come  over  seasonably 
to  m?n  them),  as  also  there  are  hopes  of  other  places.  We  lie  with  the  army  at  Ross, 
where  we  have  been  making  a  bridge  over  the  Barrow,  and  hardly  yet  acconijilished 
as  we  could  wish.  The  enemy  lies  upon  the  Nore,  on  the  land  between  the  I?arrow 
and  it,  having  gathered  together  all  the  force  they  can  get.  Owen  Roe's  men,  as 
they  report  t)iem,  are  six  thousand  foot,  and  about  four  hundred  horse,  besides  their 
own  army.     And  they  give  out  they  will  have  a  day  for  it:  which  we  hope  the  Lord 

1  Phayre  was  one  of  those  to  whom  the  warrant  for  the  execution  of  Charles  J.  was 
directed.  lie  was  governor  of  Cork  from  1649  ^o  1660.  On  the  i8th  of  July,  1660,  he  was 
arrested  at  Cork,  and  sent  to  London.  By  the  interest  of  Donald  NPCarthy,  Lord  Cian- 
carty,  whose  life  he  had  saved,  he  obtained  pardon  and  returned  to  Cork.  He  was  again 
arrested  in  r666,  for  taking  part  in  a  plot  to  seize  Dublin  Castle  and  the  other  Irish  garri- 
sons  ;  InU  peace  l)cing  soon  after  proclaimed,  the  projectors  were  allowed  to  go  unmolested, 
lie  died  in  Cork,  and  was  buried  in  the  Anabaptist  burial  ground  there.  Smith's  History 
0/  Coiky  vol,  ii.  p.  178. 


126  CROMWELL   IN"  IRELAND. 

in  His  Mercy,  will  enable  us  to  give  them  in  His  own  good  time,  in  Whom  we  desire 
our  only  trust  and  confidence  may  be. 

"Whilst  we  have  lain  here,  we  have  not  been  witiiout  some  sweet  taste  of  the 
goodness  of  God.  Your  ships  have  taken  some  good  prizes.  The  last  one  thus  ; 
I'here  came  in  a  Dunkirk  man-of-war  with  thirty-two  guns,  who  brought  in  a  Turkish 
man-of  war  whom  she  had  taken,  and  another  ship  of  ten  guns,  laden  with  poor-john 
and  od.  These  two  your  ships  took.  But  the  man-of-war  whose  prizes  these  two  were, 
put  herself  under  the  fort  of  Duncannon,  so  that  your  ships  could  not  come  near  her. 
It  pleased  God  we  had  two  demi-cannon  with  the  foot  on  the  shore,  which  being  planted 
rak\ad  her  through,  killing  and  wounding  her  men,  so  that  after  ten  shots  she  weighed 
anchor,  and  ran'inlo  your  tieet  with  a  flag  of  submission,  surrendering  herself.  She 
was  well  manned,  the  prisoners  taken  being  two  hundred  and  thirty.  I  doubt  the 
taking  prisoners  of  this  sort  will  cause  the  wicked  trade  of  piracy  to  be  endless. 
They  were  landed  here  before  I  was  aware;  and  a  hundred  of  them,  as  I  hear,  are 
gotten  into  Duncannon,  and  have  taken  up  arms  there  ;  and  I  doubt  the  rest,  that 
are  gone  to  Waterford,  will  do  us  no  good.  The  seamen  being  so  full  of  prizes  and 
unprovided  of  victual,  know  not  how  best  otherwise  to  dispose  of  them. 

"  Sir,  having  given  you  this  account,  I  shall  not  trouble  you  much  with  particular 
desires.  These  I  shall  humbly  present  to  the  Council  of  State.  Only  in  the  general, 
give  me  leave  humbly  to  offer  what  in  my  judgment  I  conceive  to  be  for  your  service, 
with  a  full  submission  to  you. 

"We  desire  recruits  may  be  speeded  to  us.  It-  is  not  fit  to  tell  you  how  your 
garrisons  will  be  unsupj^lied,  and  no  field  marching  army  considerable,  if  three  gar- 
risons more  were  in  our  hands. 

"  It  is  not  good  not  to  follow  Providence.  Yourrecruitsand  the  forces  desired  will 
not  raise  your  charge.  If  your  assignments  already  for  the  forces  here  do  come  to 
our  hands  in  time,  I  should  not  doubt,  by  the  addition  of  assessments  here,  to  have 
your  charge  in  some  reasonable  measure  borne,  and  the  soldiers  upheld,  without 
much  neglect  or  discouragement,  which  sickness  in  this  country,  so  ill  agreeing  with 
their  bodies,  puts  ujjon  them  :  and  this  winter's  action,  I  believe  not  heretofore 
known  by  English  in  tliis  country,  subjects  them  to.  To  the  praise  of  God  I  speak 
it,  I  scarce  know  one  officer  of  forty  amongst  us  that  has  not  been  sick.  And  how 
many  considerable    ones  we  have  lost  is  no  little  thought  of  heart  to  us. 

"  Wherefore  I  humbly  beg  that  the  moneys  desired  may  be  seasonably  sent  over, 
and  those  other  necessaries,  clothes,  shoes,  stockings  formerly  desired,  that  so  poor 
creatures  may  be  encouraged,  and  through  the  same  blessed  presence  that  has  gone 
along  with  us,  I  hope,  before  it  be  long,  to  see  Ireland  no  burden  to  England,  but  a 
profitable  part  of  the  Commonwealth.  And  certainly  the  extending  your  help  in  this 
way  at  this  time  is  the  most  profitable  means  speedily  to  effect  it.  And  if  I  diil  not 
think  it  your  best  thrift,  I  would  not  trouble  you  at  all  with  it. 

"  I  have  sent  Sir  Arthur  Loftus'  with  these  letters.  He  hath  gone  along  with 
us  testifying  a  great  deal  of  love  to  your  service.  I  know  his  sufferings  are  very 
great  ;  for  he  hath  lost  near  all  :  his  regiment  was  reduced  to  save  your  charge,  not 
out  of  any  exception  to  his  person.  I  humbly  therefore  present  hini  to  your  con- 
sideration. 

"  Craving  pardon  for  this  trouble,  I  rest 

"  Your  most  humble  and  faithful  servant, 

"  Oliver  Cromwell." 

1  Sir  Arthur  Loftus  was  the  eldest  son  of  Sir  Adam  Loftus  of  Rathfarnham,  and  great- 
grandson  of  Adam  Loftus,  Protestant  Archbishop  of  Armagh  from  1562  to  1567.  Sir  Arthur 
was  the  ancestor  of  that  branch  of  the  Loftus  family  which  was  afterwards  ennobled  under 
the  title  of  Viscount  Lisburn. 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  127 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE    SIEGE    OF    WATERFORD. 

I'hc  Bridge  of  Boats  —  The  Ulster  Men  —  Capture  of  Innistiogue  —  Ponsonby's  Strata- 
gem—  Attempt  to  Surprise  Carrick — Cromwell  before  Waterford — Conditions 
offered  to  the  City — Dr.  Comerford — Defences  —  The  Garrison  —  J'"arrell  Cjov- 
ernor  —  Summons  to  Surrender —  Passage  taken —  Power  of  Faithlegg — Tlie  Siege 
raised  —  Attempt  to  surprise  I'assage  —  Sankey. 

Cromwell  remained  for  some  time  at  Ross  after  the  surrender  of 
die  town,  "very  sick  and  crazy  in  his  health."  While  the  siege  was 
:;oing  on  he  had  employed  some  of  his  troops  in  making  a  bridge  of 
l)oats  across  the  Barrow,  to  enable  his  army  to  pass  into  the  county  of 
Kilkenny.  The  Irish,  it  would  seem,  knew  nothing  of  such  bridges, 
for  in  the  Jamestown  "Declaration  "  it  is  sj:)okcn  of  as  "a  wonder  to 
all  men,  but  understood  by  no  man."  The  bridge  was  almost  com- 
[)lctcd  when  the  town  surrendered.  While  this  great  work  was  carried 
on,  Ormonde  had  13,000  foot  and  4,000  horse  only  one  day's  march 
off,  yet  he  never  offered  the  least  interruption,  though  1,000  musket- 
eers and  two  culverins  might  hinder  the  same  in  spite  of  all  the 
enemy's  forces.  Later  he  sent  Lord  Taaffe  ^  to  destroy  it,  but  the 
attempt  proved  a  failure.  As  soon  as  he  was  reinforced  by  the  arrival 
of  Hugh  O'Neill,  who  had  come  from  Ulster  with  1,500  foot,  he  sent 
orders  to  Lichiquin  to  make  all  possible  haste  to  join  him  with  the 
whole  of  his  horse  ;  but  these  were  so  fatigued  and  disheartened  after 
the  late  unfortunate  expedition  that  they  could  do  little  for  a  time. 
Ilis  army  was  then  at  Innistiogue.  From  this  place  he  intended  to 
march  the  next  day  with  his  foot  to  fortify  Rosbercan,^  opposite  Ross, 
and  to  hinder  the  passage  of  the  river.  On  the  arrival  of  the  Ulster 
men,  he  asked  them  whether  they  were  ready  to  fight.  They  replied 
that  their  object  in  coming  to  Leinster  was  to  meet  the  enemy.  They 
asked  that  the  Irish  should  fight  by  themselves,  and  that  Ormonde's 
and  Inchiquin's  men  should  form  a  division  apart  or  merely  look  on  ; 
Ormonde  made  no  answer.  But  his  plans  were  again  frustrated  by  the 
activity  of  the  enemy.  When  he  was  about  to  begin  his  march,  he 
heard  that  a  large  body  of  Cromwell's  horse  had  already  crossed   the 


1  Tlieohald,  the  second  viscount.  In  the  early  part  of  this  rebellion  he  was  appointed 
General  nf  the  Province  of  Munster;  at  the  iieace  of  1646  he  was  deprived  of  this  jjost,  and 
remained  without  employment  until  April.  1649,  when,  on  the  death  of  Sir  'I'honias  Lucas, 
he  was  made  Master  of  the  Ordnance.  Me  was  one  of  the  ambassadors  sent  !)y  the  Confed- 
erates to  solicit  the  protection  and  aid  of  the  Duke  of  Lorraine  ;  hence  he  was  excepted  from 
liardon  for  life  and  estate  by  Cromwell.  After  the  Restoration  he  got  back  his  property. 
In  1661  he  was  created  Earl  of  Carlingford.  He  died  in  1677.  Archdall's  Prcnire,  vol.  iv. 
p.  296. 

-  Rosbcrcan  is  so  called  from  the  tcrritorv  of  Ibcrcan,  in  which  it  is  situated.  Abo-.it 
the  year  1300  it  was  incorporated,  and  granted  .ill  the  liberties  and  free  customs  granted  V.> 
the  burgesses  of  Kilkenny  by  Gilbert  de  Clare,  Earl  of  Gloucester. 


128  CROMWELL   7iV  IRELAND. 

river,  seized  on  Rosbercan,  and  fortified  it  in  such  a  way  that  the 
bridge  was  safe  from  any  attack  on  that  side.  A  few  days  after,  he 
went  to  Thomastown,^  intending  to  remain  there  until  he  should  be 
joined  by  Inchiquin  and  the  force  under  his  command.  Meantime  the 
report  reached  him  that  the  greater  part  of  Cromwell's  army,  under 
the  command  of  Ireton  and  Jones,  had  crossed  the  bridge  and  was  in 
full  march  towards  Kilkenny.  Soon  after  he  was  told  that  the  enemy 
had  got  as  far  as  Bennett's  bridge.  Here  he  was  joined  by  Lieutenant 
General  Ferrall,  with  the  rest  of  the  Ulster  forces  which  Owen  O'Neill 
had  sent  on  to  his  assistance.  Taking  with  him  seven  days'  provision 
he  set  out,  determined  to  give  Cromwell  battle  and  to  risk  his  fortunes 
on  the  issue. 

Ireton  despatched  Colonel  Abbot  with  a  party  of  horse  and  dra- 
goons in  the  dusk  of  the  evening  to  seize  on  Innistiogue,  a  walled  town 
on  the  Barrow,  ten  miles  above  Ross,  where  there  was  a  garrison  of 
three  hnndred  men.  "  At  first  they  vapoured  over  the  wall;  but  when 
the  assailants  set  fire  to  the  gates,  it  so  quashed  them,  that  they  took 
to  flight  and  escaped  in  boats  across  the  Nore,  leaving  the  townsmen  to 
be  plundered  and  possessed  by  the  plunderers."  The  heavy  rains  that 
had  fallen  the  day  before  did  not  allow  the  army  to  cross  the  ford  ;  they 
marched  therefore  to  Thomastown,  but  on  arriving  there,  they  found 
the  bridge  broken  down  and  a  garrison  left  to  defend  the  place. 

"Whereupon,  seeking  God  for  direction,  they  took  the  road  back 
to  Ross."  Their  stock  of  provisions  was  exhausted.  On  their  way 
they  took  the  strong  castle  of  Knocktopher,^  and  put  into  it  twenty 
horse  and  thirty  dragoons  ;  but  these  were  soon  recalled,  being  too  far 
into  the  enemy's  country.  Colonel  Reynolds  and  Major  Ponsonby 
were  sent  with  twelve  troops  of  horse  and  three  of  dragoons  to  at- 
tempt Carrick,  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  over  the  bridge  there  a  pas- 
sage into  the  county  of  Waterford.  The  town  was  garrisoned  by  a 
regiment  of  foot  and  two  or  three  troops  of  horse.  Ponsonby  seized 
on  some  of  the  country  people  whom  he  met ;  these  he  induced  by 
promises  and  threats  to  mount  on  horseback  and  advance  in  a  body 
with  the  soldiers  to  the  walls,  and  there  proclaim  to  the  townsmen  in 
the  Irish  language  that  they  were  some  of  the  Irish  army  sent  by 
Ormonde  to  reinforce  the  garrison.  The  townsmen  readily  opened  the 
gates.2  As  soon  as  the  soldiers  entered  they  took  possession  of  the 
gates  and  walls.     The  garrison  saw  their  mistake  too  late  ;  some  of 

'  Thomastown  was  called  by  the  Irish  Baile  Mic  Andaun,  and  in  TAe  Ilhierary  of  King 
John,  Boscus  Terra;  Filii  Thoma;  Filii  Antonii.  It  was  built  by  Tiiomas  Fitz  Anthony  Den, 
who  died  in  1229.  In  1346  Edward  III.  granted  the  customs  fur  four  years  for  the  construction 
and  repairs  of  the  bridge.  Lynch's  Feudal  Dignitieu  V-  -.i- !  London,  1S30.  In  1 374  he 
made  anothergrant  of  tlie  tolls' for  twenty  years  for  the  walling  of  the  town.  See  Mnrrin's 
Patent  and  Close  Rolls,  vol  i.  p.  78,  note.  The  castle  and  some  parts  of  the  wall  are  still 
standing. 

"  Knocktophcr  is  ten  miles  south  of  Kilkenny.  The  castle  was  the  residence  of  the 
Earls  of  Ormonde,     James,  the  second  earl,  founded  a  Carmelite  monastary  here  in  1536. 

^  See  Duffy's  Hibernian  Magazine,  vol.  iii.  p.  17  ;  Dublin,  1S61.  Ormonde  said  it  was 
betrayed  hy  the  Protestant  ward  there.  See  his  answer  to  the  9th  Article  of  the  "  Declar- 
ation "  of  Jamestown,  in  Cox's  Hib.  Angl.  vol.  ii.,  appendix  xlviii.  There  is,  however,  a 
tradition  that  the  townspeople  defended  the  wall  bravely,  and  it  was  stormed  after  a  breach 
had  been  made  at  the  spot  now  known  as  the  Red  Gap.  Some  cannon-balls  and  pikcheads 
virere  lately  found  near  the  wall. 


CROMWELL   LN  IRELAND.  .  129 

0 — — — — 

them  fled  in  terror  across  the  bridge  to  the  county  of  Waterford,  • 
others  were  massacred  without  mercy.  About  a  hundred  of  them 
sluit  themselves  up  in  the  castle,  "a fair  house  of  the  Lord  Ormonde's  ;''i 
they  surrendered,  however,  the  following  day,  and  were  allowed  to 
march  away  to  the  nearest  garrison  town  in  the  possession  of  the 
Royalists  ;  eighty  of  them,  who  were  Welshmen,  joined  the  army  of 
the  parliament. 

The  news  of  Reynolds'  success  gave  fresh  courage  to  Cromwell. 
He  was  now  quite  recovered  from  his  illness,  and  left  Ross  on  the  21st 
of  November  at  the  head  of  his  army,  intending  to  cross  the  Suir  at 
Carrick,  to  march  on  Waterford,  and  to  lay  seige  to  that  city.  On  tha 
23d  he  entered  Carrick  ;  there  he  met  Ponsonby^  and  congratulated 
him  on  the  successful  issue  of  his  stratagem.  Reynolds  was  left  be- 
hind as  military  governor  of  the  town,  to  hold  the  bridge  over  the 
Suir.  He  had  his  own  regiment  of  horse,  a  troop  of  dragoons,  and 
two  companies  of  foot.  His  first  care  was  to  put  the  place  in  a  proper 
state  of  defence  —  a  wise  precaution,  for  it  was  attacked  a  few  days 
after  by  a  part  of  the  Royalist  army  under  Taaffe  and  Inchiquin,  their 
object  being  to  secure  communication  with  Ormonde's  army,  which 
was  advancing  from  Kilkenny  to  the  support  of  Waterford.  The 
Ulster  troops  undertook  to  storm  the  place,  under  Major  Charles 
Geoghegan.  For  four  hours  they  strove  very  resolutely  to  effect  an 
entrance.  They  set  fire  to  the  gates  and  sprung  a  mine  under  the 
walls.  But  they  were  obliged  to  abandon  the  attempt  after  they  had 
suffered  considerable  loss,  tor  want  of  pickaxes  and  other  implements 
to  make  a  breech,  and  of  ladders  to  scale  the  wall.  Though  the  garri- 
son was  composed  of  only  150  foot,  six  troops  of  horse,  and  a  troop  of 
dragoons,  and  armed  with  swords  and  pistols,  these  did  more  execu- 
tion with  sticks  and  staves  than  with  powder  and  bullets,  as  their  am- 
munition was  soon    exhausted.-'^     Want   of    provisions   prevented  the 

1  Carrick  castle  was  supposed  to  be  the  finest  specimen  of  an  Elizabethan  house  in 
Ireland.  An  Irish  poet  of  the  sixteenth  century,  in  a  complimentary  address  to  Thomas, 
tentli  carl  of  Ormonde,  says: 

"  The  court  of  Carrick  is  a  court  well  fortified; 
A  court  to  wliicli  nuinbers  of  nobility  resort ; 
A  court  noted  for  politeness;  a  court  replete  with  pleasure; 
A  court  thronged  with  heroes; 
A  court  without  torch-light,  yet  a  court  illumined; 
A  court  of  the  lights  of  wax  tapers; 
A  plentiful  mansion,  so  artistically  stuccoed, 
With  sunlit  gables,  and  embroidery-covered  walls. 

It  was,  with  its  demesne  and  park  of  16,000  acres,  given  to  Sir  John  Reynolds. 

2  Ponsonbv,  on  the  reduction  of  Ireland,  received  the  honor  of  knighthood.  His 
services  were  further  awarded  by  the  grant  of  a  very  considerable  tract  of  land,  including  the 
estate  of  Kildalton,  which  he  called  Ikssborough,  in  compliment,  as  Swift  informs  us,  to 
his  wife  Bess,  the  daughter  of  Lord  Ffolliott.  Mr.  Dalton,  the  original  proprietor,  died  in 
his  family  mansion,  after  residing  there  for  many  years  as  the  guest  and  companion  of  Sir 
John  Ponsonby.  I5rcwcr"s  Beauties  of  Ireland,  vol.  i.  p.  48  ;  London,  1S25.  Tighe,  in  his 
Survev  of  County  of  Kilkenny,  savs  that  the  present  Bessborough  estates  were  granted  to 
Daniel  A.xtell,  later  governor  of  Kilkenny,  and  that  Ballyraggct  was  given  to  Ponsonby.  but 
that  they  made  an  exchange,  p.  372  ;  Dublin,  1S02.  It  is  said  that  Axtell  used  the  lime- 
tree  still  standing  in  the  fair  greeri  of  Ballyragget  as  a  gallows. 

'  This  will  perhaps  explain  the  finding  of  the  cannon-balls  and  pikeheads  mentioned 
above. 


130  CROMWELL   IX  IRELAND. 

assailants  from   continuing  the  seige.     Five  hundred  men  and  their 
brave  commander  fell  in  the  storm  ;  the  survivors  retired  to  Clonmel.^ 

On  his  way  to  Carrick,  Inchiquin  summoned  the  garrison  of  a 
small  castle  on  the  Suir,  about  a  mile  from  the  town.  Only  six  or 
seven  dragoons  had  been  left  behind  in  it.  None  of  them  could  either 
read  the  summons  or  write  an  answer  to  it.  They  learned  its  contents 
from  the  trumpter  who  had  brought  it.  They  returned  their  answer 
in  plain  phrase  and  without  compliment,  telling  him  "to  bid  Inchiquin 
go  about  his  business  and  be  hanged,  for  he  had  nothing  to  do  with 
them.."  And  thus,  though  they  could  not  return  an  answer  in  writing, 
they  did  so  in  resolution.^ 

On  the  24th,  about  noon,  the  army  arrived  before  Waterford, 
having  crossed  the  Suir  at  Carrick  and  marched  along  the  southern 
bank  of  the  river.  They  approached  the  town  on  the  north-west ; 
Cromwell  was  deterred  by  the  fort  on  Thomas'  Hill  from  occupying 
the  heights  ot  Bilberry  rock,  a  commanding  position.^  His  army,  ac- 
cording to  Ormonde's  estimate,  numbered  then  but  4,000  foot,  2,000 
horse,  and  500  dragoons.  He  supposed  that  the  city  would  surrender 
as  soon  as  he  appeared  before  it.  Some  of  the  more  wealthy  citizens 
wished  to  submit  without  awaiting  the  assault,  in  the  hope  of  saving 
their  property.  The  Mayor  was  so  terrified,  that  he  wrote  to  Ormonde 
asking  what  terms  he  should  insist  on  when  delivering  up  the  city. 
But  the  greater  number  preferred  to  try  the  fortune  of  war,  even 
though  later  they  were  offered  liberal  conditions,  together  with  the 
privilege  of  the  citizenship  of  London  and  the  free  exercise  of  their  re- 
ligion ;  no  doubt  they  were  aware  of  the  interpretation  that  had  been 
put  upon  the  latter  article  at  the  surrender  of  Ross,  when  Cromwell 
declared  that  it  did  not  mean  the  open  practice  of  the  Catholic  religion  ; 
hence  they  resolved  on  jesisting  to  the  last. 

Waterford  had  yielded  to  no  other  city  in  its  devotion  to  religion 
and  to  the  cause  of  the  King.*  It  was  there  the  Nuncio  Rinuccini  had 
intended  to  land  before  he  was  driven  from  his  course  by  the  renegade 
Plunkett,    who    pursued    him    and    made    him    put    into    the    bay    of 

1  The  repulse  at  Carrick  was  brought  forward  in  the  "  Dechiration  "  of  Jamestown,  as 
a  proof  of  Ormonde's  incapacity  or  treachery.  '■  Our  army  appearing  before  the  place,  the 
soldiers  were  commanded  to  fight  against  the  walls  and  armed  men,  without  great  guns, 
ladders,  petards,  shovels,  spades,  or  other  necessaries,  there  being  killed  about  500  soldiers 
valiantly  fighting." 

*  Probably  this  was  Dovehill  castle. 

8  On  the  Kilkenny  side  of  the  river  there  is  a  spot  called  Cromwell's  Fort ;  but  Crom- 
well did  not  take  up  his  position  there. 

*  "The  citie  of  Waterford  hath  continued  to  the  Crown  of  England  so  loyally,  that  it 
is  not  found  registered  since  the  Concinest  to  have  been  distained  with  the  smallest  spot,  or 
dusted  with  the  least  freckle  of  treason,  notwithstanding  the  sundrie  assaults  of  traitorous 
attempts  ;  and  therefore  the  citie  arms  are  deckt  with  this  golden  word,  Intacta  maiift 
VVaterfordia,  a  jiosie  as  well  to  be  heartily  followed  as  greatly  admired  of  all  true  and  loyal 
towns  "  Holinshed's  Chronicles,  vol.  ii.  yi.  13  ;  London,  1577.  Sccimdas  inter  Hibernice  nrhcs 
fert  Waterfordia,  impritnis  honesta  et  officiis  fidclis  civitas.  Stuinlnirst  de  Reims  I/il'.,  ]■>.  22. 
Some  more  substantial  marks  of  royal  favor  were  granted  to  the  citizens  of  Waterford  for 
their  active  opposition  to  Perkin  Warbeck  and  his  followers  in  1497.  Ryland's  History  0/ 
Waterford,  p.  30  ;  London,  1841.  Henry  VIII.  sent  William  Wise  with  gracious  letters  and 
a  cap  of  maintenance,  an  honorable  gift,  to  be  borne  before  the  mayor  when  he  walked  in 
stale.  He  had  sent  before  by  the  same  messenger  a  gilt  sword  for  their  renowned  fidclny,  to 
be  also  borne  before  the  mayor. 


CROMWELL  IiV  IRELAND.  131 

Kemnarc  ;^  and  when  the  intrigues  of  Ormonde  and  liis  party  forced 
him  to  leave  Kilkenny  and  threatened  his  liberty,  he  was  sure  of  a 
refuge  in  the  fort  of  Duncannon.  Patrick  Comcrford,  the  bishop,  was 
ever  the  Nuncio's  firm  friend  and  the  unyielding  sup})ortcr  of  his 
policy,  in  spite  of  the  threats  which  the  Ormondists  held  out  that  they 
would  deprive  him  of  the  temporalities  of  his  see.  To  such  threats 
he  used  to  reply  :  "  Though  I  were  to  be  stripped  of  all  that  the  world 
could  give,  for  my  submission  to  the  decrees  of  Holy  Church,  I  will, 
nevertheless,  persevere  in  my  obedience,  nor  will  I  cease  to  pray  God, 
that  He  may  guide  faithfully  the  counsels  of  the  Confederates  of  this 
kingdom."^ 

Strong  defences  and  numerous  batteries  protected  the  city  from 
assault.  The  only  hope  of  taking  it  lay  in  the  tedious  process  of  in- 
vestment. Ormonde  had  encouraged  the  citizens  to  a  vigorous  resis- 
tance ;  he  chid  the  cowards  for  their  readiness  to  parley  with  an 
enemy  before  even  the  batteries  were  erected,  and  assured  them  that 
if  they  did  their  duty,  Cromwell  should  be  baffled  before  the  place. 
Leaving  his  quarters  at  Kilkenny,  he  advanced  at  the  head  of  his  army 
to  Carrick,  in  the  hope  of  finding  the  enemy  and  giving  him  battle. 
There  he  learned  that  Cromwell  had  marched  on  Waterford  and  was 
investing  it  ;  he  determined  to  go  forward  and  relieve  the  place. 
Some  time  before  he  had  sent  Lord  Castlehaven  to  provide  for  the 
safety  of  the  city  and  of  the  fort  of  Passage,  which  lay  nearly  opposite 
Duncannon  on  the  Waterford  side  of  the  river.  Now  he  sent  him 
with  1,000  men  to  reinforce  the  garrison.  But  the  citizens,  through 
distrust  of  Ormonde,  would  not  allow  them  to  enter  the  town. 
"After  several  days' dispute  "  Castlehaven  marched  away.  Alarmed 
at  Cromwell's  successes,  they  requested  that  200  men,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Major  Cavenagh  might  be  sent  to  their  aid.  A  fortnight 
later,  Ormonde  sent  them  another  reinforcement  of  1,500  Ulstermen, 
a  ]iart  of  Owen  Roc  O'Neill's  army.  These  they  received.  Their 
commander,  Lieutenant-General  Ferrall,  who  had  been  in  the  confi- 
dence of  the  Nuncio,  was  appointed  military  governor.  The  same 
night,  Ormonde  left  the  city,  and  crossing  the  Suir,  marched  till  mid- 
night with  his  life-guard  to  Dunkitt.  The  next  day  he  set  out  for 
Carrick,  sure  of  finding  his  army  in  possession  of  that  place.  When 
he  came  within  a  few  miles  of  the  town,  he  met  Colonel  Milo  Power, 
who  was  sent  by  Lord  Inchiquin  to  inform  him  of  the  failure  of  his 
attempt. 

During  the  progress  of  the  siege,  Cromwell  sent  Ireton  with  a 
regiment  of  horse  and  three  troops  of  dragoons  towards  the  fort  of 
Passage,  six  miles  below  Waterford.  Its  capture  was  of  the  greatest 
importance  to  him,  as  it  commanded  the  entrance  to  Waterford  harbor 
even  better  than  Duncannon;  the  possession  of  it  would  also  enable 
him  to  I'cducc  both  the  city  and  the  fort  by  preventing  supplies  being 
brought  to  them  by  water.  "The  dragoons  fell  presently  upon  the 
storm,  and  in  a  short  time  set  fire  to  the  gate,  whereupon  the  enemy 

1  Sir  Richard  Belling  regretted  that  the  Nuncio  could  not  land  at  Waterford,  ^VIlere 
he  would  have  been  received  ''  con  frepararte  difiiostraiioni  c  con  sparameuto  tit  tutli  U  l>om- 
Lanie." 


132  CROMWELL  IN  JliELAND. 

within  called  out  for  quarter;  and  upon  assurance  given  by  the  Lord 
Lieutenant  that  they  should  have  quarter  for  their  lives  and  their 
wearing  apparel,  they  surrendered  the  fort  to  him.  Six  pieces  of  ord- 
nance were  found  in  the  fort."  About  200  of  the  garrison  were  slain 
in  the  assault.  One  hundred  men  were  left  behind  by  the  captors  to 
garrison  it. 

At  Faithlegg,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Passage,  there  dwelt  at  that 
time  a  family  named  Aylward.  Cromwell  had  known  the  proprietor 
in  London,  and  now,  in  remembrance  of  their  former  friendship,  was 
anxious  to  secure  him  in  the  possession  of  his  property.  He  was 
aware  that  his  friend  was  a  Catholic,  that  he  was  opposed  to  the  Par- 
liamentary party,  and  he  had  resolved  that  such  should  be  dis- 
possessed. But  in  this  particular  instance  he  relaxed  from  his  usual 
severity,  and  required  what  .to  him  seemed  an  easy  thing,  that 
Aylward  should  conceal  his  faith.  There  was  some  hesitation  be- 
tween the  love  of  relii^ion  and  the  attachment  to  worldly  wealth.  At 
length,  owing  in  great  measure  to  the  advice  of  his  wife,  Aylward 
chose  the  better  part,  and  prepared  to  defend  his  property,  or  to  lose 
it  and  his  life  together.  Irritated  at  what  he  considered  foolish  obsti- 
nacy, Cromwell  resolved  to  punish  his  presumption,  and  sent  some  of 
his  troops  and  a  piece  of  ordnance,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Bolton,  to  take  possession  of  the  estate.  The  ruins  of  the  castle, 
round  which  a  moat  can  still  be  traced,  mark  the  spot  where  the  con- 
test took  place.  The  result  is  easily  anticipated.  Captain  Bolton, 
was  successful,  and  his  descendants,  up  to  a  few  years  since,  con- 
tinued to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  the  conquest. 

The  citizens  of  Waterford  were  so  affrighted  at  the  loss  of 
Passage,  that  they  told  the  Commissioners  of  Trust  they  would  sur- 
render the  city  unless  aid  was  sent  to  them  immediately.  In  reply  to 
their  demand,  Ormonde  declared  that  his  army  could  no  longer  be 
kept  together  for  want  of  supplies  ;  if  these  were  procured,  he  would 
march  without  delay  to  their  relief.  But  he  found  it  impossible  to 
procure  them.  He  set  out  and  marched  all  night  along  the  northern 
bank  of  the  Suir,  conducting  Brian  O'Neill's  horse  and  some  foot  to 
reinforce  the  garrison.  Early  the  next  day,  he  encamped  on  a  hill 
opposite  the  town. 

On  arriving  before  the  city,  Cromwell  had  sent  a  trumpeter  to 
summon  the  garrison  to  yield  upon  quarter.  "  Ferrall  would  give  way 
to  none  to  answer  other  than  himself ;  he  requested  the  trumpeter  to 
return  to  his  master  with  this  result,  that  he  was  Lieutenant-General 
Ferrall,  governor  of  that  place,  at  present  having  2,000  of  his  Ulster 
force  there  ;  that  as  long  as  any  of  them  did  survive,  he  would  not 
yield  the  town."  The  sudden  appearance  of  the  reinforcements  made 
Cromwell  change  his  plans. 

Having  failed  to  corrupt  the  Governor,  and  being  disheartened  at 
the  prospect  of  a  tedious  siege  in  midwinter,  he  thought  his  wisest 
course  was  to  retire  from  before  the  place,  and  to  seek  winter-quarters 
elsewhere.  He  had  already  lost  over  1,000  men  by  sickness  during 
the'  short  time  the  siege  had  lasted,  among  them  his  kinsmen,  Major 
Cromwell.     "  Poinding  the  indisposition  in  point  of  health  increasing, 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  133 

and  his  foot  falling  sick  near  ten  of  a  company  every  night  they  were 
on  duty,  and  his  numbers  not  above  3,000  healthful  foot  in  the  field, 
being  necessitated  to  put  so  many  into  garrison,  the  enemy  mustering 
about  12,000  horse  and  foot,  having  well  near  as  many  in  the  town  as 
he  without,  bread  and  other  necessaries  not  coming  to- them,  and  the 
dripping  weather  having  made  the  ground  so  moist  that  it  would  not 
bear  the  guns,  the  council  of  war,  in  consequence,  advised  him  to  rise 
from  before  Waterford,  and  to  retire  into  winter-quarters  to  refresh  the 
sick  and  weak  soldiers."  Such  was  his  haste  that  he  left  behind  two 
large  guns  which  he  had  brought  with  him.  Ormonde  besought  the 
magistrates  to  supply  him  with  boats  to  ferry  his  men  over,  that  they 
might  fall  on  the  rear  of  the  retreating  army.  But  now  that  the 
danger  was  gone  by,  they  feigned  excuses  for  delay  until  the  oppor- 
tunity had  passed  ;  they  were  afraid  that  the  Royalist  army,  if  once 
■  admitted  within  the  walls,  would  take  up  its  quarters  permanently 
there.  They  would  admit  only  a  body  of  Ulster  troops  under  Brian 
O'Neill  ;  even  these  they  soon  complained  of  as  an  intolerable  griev- 
ance, urging  their  withdrawal  in  order  to  save  the  citizens  from  being 
starved.  The  same  night  Ormonde  set  off  and  joined  the  army  at 
Clonmel. 

A  few  days  later  an  attempt  was  made  to  surprise  Passage. 
Lieutenant-General  Ferrall  sallied  out  from  Waterford.  It  was  ar- 
ranged that  he  should  be  joined  by  Colonel  Wogan,  the  governor  of 
Duncannon,  who  was  to  advance  to  the  attack  from  the  opposite  side 
of  the  river.  Cromwell  had  got  information  of  the  proposed  attempt, 
and  ordered  Colonel  Sankcy,^  who  lay  on  the  north  side  of  the  Black- 
water,  to  march  in  haste  with  a  regiment  of  horse,  and  two  troops  of 
dragoons,  in  all  about  350  men,  to  the  relief  of  the  place.  Ormonde, 
who  was  then  in  the  neighborhood,  sent  for  the  Mayor,  and,  pointing 
out  to  him  the  exposed  position  of  the  assailants,  besought  him  to 
supply  boats  to  transport  a  regiment  or  two  of  horse  from  the  north 
side  of  the  river  to  their  rescue.  But  the  Corporation  refused  to  allow 
any  of  his  troops  to  march  through  the  town.  With  fifty  of  his  atten- 
dants he  took  horse,  and  went  in  haste  towards  Passage.  Meantime 
Sankey,  finding  the  fort  closely  invested  by  O'Neill  and  Wogan, 
resolved  to  attack  them  before  they  were  reinforced  by  Ferrall's 
Ulstermen.     O'Neill's  men  resisted  bravely  for  a  time,  but  the  horse, 

'  Sankey  (the  name  is  also  written  Zanchy)  had  been  a  proctor  in  the  University  of 
Oxford.  He  came  to  Ireland  with  Henry  Cromwell.  Of  him  Taylor  says,  "  that  he  seemed 
to  revel  in  slaughter,  and  openly  professed  that  no  faith  should  be  kept  with  the  Papists." 
Civil  IVcirs,  vol.  ii.  p.  17.  While  he  was  military  governor  of  the  county  of  Tippcrary,  one 
of  his  soldiers  was  killed;  all  efforts  to  find  the  murderer  were  in  vaiii.  JIc  sunmioned  to 
Fcthard  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  parish  in  which  the  murder  had  taken  place,  and  having 
compelled  them  to  cast  lots,  hanged  five  of  them  on  whom  the  lots  fell.  //uW ,  vol.  ii.  p.  49. 
Though  nobody  e.xclaimcd  more  against  otheis,  particularly  against  Sir  William  I'etty,  ytt 
none  had  greater  complaints  made  against  them  for  ill  treatment  of  their  own  men,  for  he 
got  several  of  the  lots  that  fell  to  hi.-^  share  to  be  left  out  of  his  patent,  to  oblige  the  Irish, 
who  paid  him  well  for  it,  and  put  in  other  lands  which  were  not  given  them  in  satisfaction 
of  their  arrears.  And  thus  he  wronged  many  innocent  Irish  as  well  as  his  own  jicople.  He 
was  reproached  liy  Sir  William  Petty  "  for  his  unhandsome  dealings  with  the  soldiers  in  the 
matter  of  Lismalin  Park,"  the  estate  of  Lord  Ikerrin,  in  south  Tipperary.  An  account  of 
the  cpiarrel  betwcn  Petty  and  Sankey  is  given  in  7'^e  History  of  the  Down  Survey,  edited  by 
Sir  'i'homas  Larcom  for  the  Irish  Arch.  Soc.  p.  290  and  345  ;  Dublin,  1S51. 


134  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 

pressing  on  them,  broke  their  lines.  About  lOO  were  killed,  and  350 
taken  prisoners  ;  among  the  latter  were  Wogan^  and  O'Neill.  Ferrall 
came  up  soon  after,  but  seeing  his  party  utterly  defeated,  he  retreated 
towards  Waterford,  hotly  pursued  by  the  enemy.  Ormonde's  numbers 
were  too  few  to  meet  them.  He  drerw  up  his  men  on  the  side  of  a  hill 
in  such  a  way  that  they  seemed  more  numerous  than  they  really  were, 
and  by  this  stratagem  covered  the  retreat  of  the  fugitives  until  they 
reached  the  town.  The  citizens  were  much  disheartened  at  the  failure 
of  this  attempt,  for  Passage  was  a  constant  danger  to  them.  To  pro- 
tect the  city,  Ormonde  again  proposed  to  ferry  his  troops  across  the 
river,  and  to  quarter  them  in  huts  outside  the  walls,  where  they  should 
be  in  no  way  burdensome.  But  the  citizens  would  not  consent  to  this 
proposal  ;  some  of  them  even  thought  to  seize  on  Ormonde  and  to  fall 
on  his  followers  as  enemies.  Irritated  at  what  he  conceived  to  be 
blind  obstinacy  on  their  part,  he  again  withdrew  to  Clonmel,  where 
the  main  body  of  his  army  lay.^ 

1  February  22d.  Letters  from  Ireland,  that  Wogan,  that  perfidious,  revolted  fellow, 
had  escaped  out  of  prison,  and  Colonel  Phayre's  marshal,  in  whose  custody  he  was,  being 
corrupted,  fled  with  him.  Whitelocke,  p.  426.  Cromwell  would  seem  to  have  had  a  high 
opinion  of  Wogan,  for  in  treating  of  an  exchange  of  prisoners  with  Hugh  O'Neill,  he  says  : 
"  In  case  you  insist  upon  Wogan,  I  expect  Captain  Caulfield  and  his  officers  and  soldiers  for 
him."     Carf£  A/SS.,  vol.  xxvi.  p.  510. 

*  Waterford  surrendered  to  Ireton  August  loth,  1650,  and  Duncannon  four  days 
after. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  135 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE    MARCH    TO    YOUGHAL. 

Capture  of  Butlerstown,  Kilmeaden,  Curraghmore,  Granno,  and  Duiihill  —  Surrender  of 
Dungarvan — Letter  of  Brogliill  —  Tlie  Revolters — Cromwell  enters  Youghal  —  Sick- 
ness of  the  Troo]is  —  Death  of  Colonel  Jones — His  Ciiaracter — Irish  Army  in 
Winter-Quarters  —  Ormonde  asks  Leave  to  Quit  Ireland  —  Dean  Boyle  —  Causes  of 
Distrust. 

Cromwell's  army  began  its  march  from  Waterford  towards 
Dungarvan  on  the  2d  of  December,  "it  being  so  terrible  a  day," 
says  Cromwell,  "as  I  never  marched  in  all  my  life."  Butlerstown 
castle,^  outside  the  liberties  of  the  city,  was  seized  and  l)lown  up. 
Kilmeaden,  on  the  Suir,  was  destroyed,  and  its  owner,  one  of  the  Le 
I'oer  family,  seized  and  hanged  on  a  tree  close  by.  His  property, 
extending  from  Kilmeaden  to  Tramore,  was  afterwards  confiscated.^ 
A  similar  fate  awaited  Curraghmore.  It  chanced  that  the  owner  had 
a  shrewd  daughter,  who  knowing  her  father  was  a  stanch  Royalist,, 
devised  a  plan  to  save  hirfi,  and  cleverly  put  it  into  execution.  She 
contrived  to  entice  the  old  man  into  one  of  the  dungeons  of  the  castle, 
and  there  she  safely  bolted  and  barred  him  in.  She  then  received 
Cromwell  at  the  door,  and  placed  the  keys  of  the  castle  in  his  hands. 
She  assured  him  that,  although  her  father  had  thought  it  prudent  to 
remove  for  a  time  out  of  the  way,  he  was  not  only  well  disposed 
towards  the  ruling  powers,  but  willing  to  give  any  proof  of  his  allegi- 
ance that  might  be  required.  The  consequence  was  that  Curragh- 
more remained  in  possession  of  its  lord.  The  garrisons  of  Ballydoyne^ 
and  Granno*  fled  at"  the  enemy's  approach,  leaving  their  arms  behind. 
The  castle  of  Dunhill,^  situated   on   the  sea-coast   beyond   Tramore, 

1  Butlerstown  castle,  three  miles  nojthwest  of  Waterford,  belonged  to  Sir  Thomas 
Sherhjck.  It  was  taken  in  1644  by  Lord  Mountgarrett,  then  in  command  of  the  Irish  forces. 
Sir  Thomas  was  turned  out  of  doors  almost  naked.  He  escaped  to  Dublin,  and  w.as  there 
leceived  by  the  English  as  their  "  constant  friend."  Yet  neither  Cromwell  nor  the  King 
restored  him  to  his  estates.  He  died  in  1663,  worn  out  by  poverty  and  despair.  The  Coun- 
cil granted  the  sum  of  ;^50  to  bury  him. 

2  It  was  purchased  from  the  adventurers  by  John  Ottrington  His  granddaughter 
married  into  the  St.  Leger  family,  and  brought  the  property  to  Viscount  Doneraile.  Arch- 
dall's  Peerage,  vol.  vi.  p.  121.  Kilmeaden  House  is  built  on  the  spot  where  the  castle 
stood. 

^  Four  miles  west  of  Carrick. 

■•  Granno  or  Granny  castle  is  on  the  Kilkenny  side  of  the  Suir,  three  miles  above 
Waterford. 

5  Dunhill,  i.  e.,  the  Port  of  the  Cliff.  In  1317  Arnold  le  Powere,  Baron  of  Dunoile, 
with  the  Lord  Justice,  the  Earl  of  Kildare,  and  Richard  de  Clare,  furnished  and  armed 
thirty  thousand  men  to  oppose  Robert  and  Edward  Bruce.  Cam|>ion's  //h/otv  of  Ireland, 
p.    122;  Dublin,   1S09.     In   1324  John  le   P(jer  of  Dunoyle  was  one  of  the  witnesses  to  the 


13G  CROMWKLL   IN  IRELAND. 


was  bravely  defended  by  a  lady.  It  was  biiilf.  on  a  rock  almost  inac- 
cessib.^,  and  judging  from  the  ruins  still  remaining,  it  must  have  been 
a  place  oi  proaigious  strength.  For  a  long  time  it  resisted  the  attack, 
though  artillery  was  used  to  make  a  breach  in  its  outworks.  At 
length  it  yielded.  The  Countess  was  the  life  and  soul  of  the  defend- 
ers. Day  and  night  she  was  on  the  ramparts,  animating  by  her 
presence  and  energy  the  spirits  of  the  garrison.  She  had,  it  seems, 
a  skilful  engineer,  who  defeated  all  the  plans  of  the  besiegers.  One 
day  she  retired  to  rest,  but  she  neglected  to  provide  for  the  wants  of 
her  weary  soldiers.  Her  engineer  sent  to  demand  refreshm.ent  for 
himself  and  his  comrades  ;  he  received  in  return  the  unwarlike  meed 
'of  a  drink  of  buttermilk.  Irritated  at  the  insult,  he  made  signals  to 
the  foe,  who  actually  had  raised  the  siege  and  were  marching  off,  and 
surrendered  to  them  the  castle.  It  was  forthwith  blown  up  with 
gunpowder.     The  Countess  perished  among  the  ruins. 

The  first  day's  march  of  the  army  was  to  Kilmacthomas.  The 
whole  of  the  next  day  was  spent  in  crossing  the  river  Mahon,  which 
was  swollen  by  a  land-flood.  During  the  night  the  soldiers  were 
quartered  in  the  neighboring  villages.  On  the  evening  of  the  4th  the 
army  reached  Dungarvan,^  and  proceeded  without  delay  to  invest  the 
town.  It  had  submitted  to  Lord  Broghill  a  few  days  before,  as  we 
learn  from  one  of  his  letters,  dated  December  19th  : 

"The  2cl  of  this  month,  with  a  jiarty  of  600  liorse  and  8co  foot,  I  advanced  to 
Dungarvan,  where  the  Lord  so  ruled  their  liearts  that  on  the  3d  it  was  delivered  up 
to  me  by  Colonel  Kinsale,  who  was  in  it  with  his  regiment  and  troop,  both  which 
have  since  taken  up  arms  with  us.  There  was  in  the  town  six  ordnance,  sixteen 
barrels  of  powder,  with  bullet  and  match  jiroportionable." 

The  townsmen  would  seem  to  have  repented  of  their  hasty  sub- 
mission to  Lord  Broghill  ;  perhaps  they  were  not  satisfied  with  the 
conditions  imposed  on  them.  But  now,  terrified  at  the  near  approach 
of  danger,  they  again  surrendered  at  discretion.  An  order  was  issued 
to  put  the  inhabitants  to  the  sword,  in  punishment  for  their  treachery. 
Cromwell  rode  into  the  town  at  the  head  of  the  troops.  As  they  were 
about  to  execute  the  merciless  command,  tradition  says  a  woman 
named  Nagle  forced  her  way  through  the  crowd  with  a  flagon  of  beer 
in  her  hand,  and  drank  to  the  General's  health,  calling  on  him  to 
pledge  her  in  turn.  It  is  added  that  Cromwell  was  so  pleased  with 
her  courage  and  courtesy,  that  he  accepted  the  pledge  and  permitted 
his  soldiers  to  partake  of  the  liquor,  which   they,  thirsty  and   heated, 

compact  entered  into  between  the  King  of  England  and  the  nobles  of  English  descent  for 
the  capture  of  felons,  robbers,  and  thieves  of  their  family  and  sirname.  Hardiman's  ShUnte 
0/  A'ltJi-eiiiiy,  \t.  bG,  \w\t,  published  by  the  Irish  Arch.  Soc.  in  1843.  ^"  ij^S,  on  Sunday, 
the<lay  after  tlie  feast  of  .St.  Agnes,  died  John  le  I'oer,  Baron  of  Dunhille.  Clynn's  Arnuils, 
p.  20;   Dublin,  1849. 

1  In  1643  the  town  of  Dungarvan  was  incorporated  bv  Act  of  Parliament,  which  re- 
cites that  as  the  seignory  of  Dungarvan  was  the  most  great  and  ancient  honor  belonging  to 
the  King  in  Ireland,  which  through  war  was,  for  the  most  part,  destroyed,  it  is  provided 
that  the  Portreeve  and  commons  of  the  said  town,  their  heirs,  &c.,  may  enjoy  all  manner  of 
free  gifts  and  customs,  as  tlie  inhabitants  of  the  honorable  manor  of  Clare  in  England  have 
nsed  and  enjoyed,  and  as  the  mayor  and  commcins  of  Bristol  have  done,  the  ])rotUs  to  go  to 
the  reparation  of  the  walls  under  the  survey  of  the  Earls  of  Desmond.  Ryland's  History 
of  Waterford,  p.  23. 


CRO.VWELL   7.V  IRELAXD.  137 

found  very  refreshing,  and  which  the  servants  of  the  woman  al)imdantly 
supplied.  He  revoked  the  order,  and  not  only  spared  the  lives  of  the 
people,  but  saved  the  town,  the  church  and  the  castle  excepted,  from 
being  plundered  by  the  soldiers.  Here  he  met  Lord  Broghill,  to 
whose  services  he  was  so  much  indebted  for  his  recent  successes. 

At  Whitechurch,  about  five  miles  west  of  Dungarvan,  he  was  met 
by  2,500  men  of  the  southern  garrisons  that  had  lately  revolted. 
They  assured  him  that  the  towns  throughout  Munster,  which  had 
lately  gone  over  to  the  parliament,  would  gladly  receive  garrisons  and 
afford  them  winter  quarters. 

On  the  5th  he  entered  Youghal,  where  fresh  supplies  awaited 
hirn.  Here  he  established  himself  and  a  part  of  his  army  in  winter- 
quarters  ;  the-rest  he  distributed  through  the  towns  that  had  lately 
submitted  to  the  parliament.  Winter  had  set  in,  and  sickness  was 
beginning  to  spread.  "I  scarcely  know  an  officer  of  forty  amongst 
us,"  he  writes,  "that  hath  not  been  sick,  and  how  many  considerable 
ones  we  h  ive  lost  is  no  little  thought  of  heart  to  us.  The  noble 
Licutenant-General  (Jones),  whose  finger,  to  my  knowledge,  never 
ached  in  all  these  expeditions,  fell  sick,  we  doubt  not,  upon  a  cold 
taken  upon  our  late  wet  march  and  ill  accommodation.  He  went  to 
Dungarvan,  where,  struggling  for  some  four  or  five  days  with  a  fever,  he 
died  ;  having  run  his  course  with  so  much  honor,  courage,  and  fidelity, 
as  his  actions  better  speak  than  my  pen.  What  England  lost  hereby, 
is  above  me  to  speak.  I  am  sure  I  lost  a  noble  friend  and  companion 
in  labors."  ^ 

The  news  of  Jones'  death  reached  the  House  of  Commons  on  the 
5th  of  January,  1650,  in  a  letter  written  by  a  Cromwellian  soldier. 
"We  had  a  very  sore  and  stormy  march  hither  ;  and  that  which  added 
to  the  bitterness  of  it  was  the  sickness  of  the  truly  noble  and  ever 
honored  Lieutenant-General  Jones,  He  was  a  gentleman  very  useful 
in  the  army,  and  was  very  much  liked  and  lamented.  His  approved 
constancy  and  fidelity  to  the  English  interests  was  such  as  to  manifest 
that  he  will  very  much  shine  and  be  famous  for  it  to  posterity.  His 
straits,  hazards,  difficulties,  and  necessities  were  very  many,  and  I 
might  add,  temptations,  too.  Yet  he  broke  through  all  with  unmoved 
•  gallantry,  steadfastness,  and  resolution.  His  temper  and  disposition 
was  very  sweet  and  amiable,  and  obliging  to  all.  And  he  had  very 
much  love  and  respect  to  all  that  came  lately  over."^  His  body  was 
brought  to  Youghal,  and  buried  with  great  solemnity  in  the  chapel 
belonging  to  the  Earl  of  Cork,  in  St,  Mary's  church. 

'  Letter  to  Lcnthal  from  Cork,  Dec  19th,  1649,  Cox  snys  :  "  lie  was  a  man  of  dear 
valor,  and  excellent  as  well  as  fortnnate  conduct,  and  not  inferior  to  anybody  in  a  sincere 
passion  for  the  good  of  liis  country."  Il>i(f.  Yet  in  spile  of  this  panegyric,  it  is  certain  that 
great  enmity  and  distrust  existed  between  Jones  and  Cromwell.  A  strict  surveillance  was 
maintained  by  liim  and  Ireton  over  Jones'  movements,  who,  shortly  before  his  dt-aih,  wps 
engaged  in  devising  projects  to  beat  Cromwell  out  of  Ireland!  Morrice's  Ahntcir  of  Lord 
Orrery,  p.  16.  We  are  told  also  that  one  Mrs.  Chaplain,  daughter  of  the  minister  "f  Dn  > 
garvaii  under  the  Cromwellians,  who  lived  in  the  hf)nse  in  which  Jones  died,  often  said  ili  it 
it  was  confidently  believed  that  Cromwell  had  lound  means  to  poison  Jones,  ymith  s 
History  of  Vi^ateiford,  ji.  65. 

-  Letter  from  Cork,  in  Whitelocke,  p.  421.  Ireton  w.ts  appointed  in  his  ]-,Irice. 
*'  Major  General  Ireton  cannot  well  endure  the  yoke  of  his  new  honors,  such'  is  his  modesty  ; 


138  CROMWET.L    ly  IREL.IXD. 


Here  also  died  two  other  persons  eminently  faithful,  goodly,  and 
true  to  the  parliament,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Wolfe  and  Scoutmaster- 
General  Rowe.^ 

Ormonde,  too,  was  anxious  to  find  winter-quarters  for  his  army, 
whence  it  might  be  ready  to  issue  forth  without  delay,  to  meet  the 
enemy  when  he  should  take  the  field  in  spring.  He  had  neither 
money  to  pay  his  men  nor  provisions  to  support  them  for  twenty-four 
hours  together.  He  suggested  to  the  Commissioners  of  Trust  that 
the  troops  should  be  distributed  through  the  towns  of  Munster  which 
still  continued  faithful  to  the  king.  Both  Limerick  and  Waterford, 
the  most  important  places  now  in  the  hands  of  the  Royalists,  persis- 
tently refused  to  receive  them.  To  add  to  his  mortification,  his  men 
began  to  desert  in  considerable  numbers.  He  kept  some  of  his  forces 
together  hovering  between  Clonmel  and  Waterford  ;  the  rest  were 
obliged  to  scatter  over  the  country  and  seek  quarters  where  they 
could  find  them.  Many  of  them  never  reassembled.  He  took  up  his 
own  quarters  at  Kilkenny.  Thence  he  wrote  in  disgust  to  the  King, 
who  was  at  Jersey,  to  acquaint  his  Majesty  "  how  his  authority  was 
disputed  by  those  great  pretenders  to  royalty."  About  this  time,  he 
seems  to  have  asked  the  King's  permission  to  withdraw  both  himself 
and  the  King's  authority  from  Ireland,  shoidd  occasion  require  it. 
His  friend  Dean  Boyle  had  even  procured  a  pass  for  him  from  Crom- 
well. He  was  well  aware  of  the  people's  distrust  of  himself  and  of 
their  aversion  to  his  government.  Believing  themselves  betrayed  by 
him,  they  could  not  be  brought  into  a  course  of  action  that  would 
put  an  end  to  all  hope  of  obtaining  favorable  terms  from  the  enemy. 
Besides,  he  was  forced  to  confess  that  "  it  appeared  every  day  more 
evidently  than  other,  and  would  soon  be  visible  to  the  shortest  fore- 
sight, that  upon  anything  that  Ireland  could  afford,  it  would  not  be 
possible  to  make  any  resistance  against  the  rebels,  who  had  the  whole 
coast  towards  England,  Waterford  excepted,  ready  to  receive  their 
forces,  commodious  harbors  for  their  shipping,  and  garrisons  from 
whence  they  could  immediately  be  in  the  heart  of  his  best  countries 
and  at  the  walls  of  his  remaining  towns.  No  supplies  were  arriving 
from  abroad,  no  diversion  was  made  by  the  Royalist  Party  in  England, 
though  Cromwell  and  Ireton,  the  supposed  heads  of  the  rebels,  were  • 
removed  from  them." 

Taaffe  and  the  Connaught  troojis  returned  to  their  own  province. 
Lord  Dillon  went  to  Westmeath,  Major-General  Hugh  O'Neill,  with 
1, 600  Ulster  men  was  admitted  into  Clonmel, — the  Mayor  having 
asked  that  a  considerable  part  of  the  army  should  be  sent  to  garrison 
that  town  ;  that   300  men   should   march  immediately  into  the  town, 

indeed  he  is  a  gcaod  soul."  Letter  from  Pembroke,  January  6'h,  in  fer/.  Ditirnal.  He 
was  soon  aficr  appointed  President  of  Munsier..  'January  loih,  1650 — The  Attorney- 
General  was  ordered  by  the  House  to  prepare  a  patent  to  be  passed  under  the  Great  .Seal 
of  England,  ai)pninting  Major  General  Ireton  to  be  President  of  Munster."  Tonson's 
Debates,  vol.  xix.  p.  46. 

^  Cromwell  to  Lentlial,  February  i6th,  1650,  in  Aphor.  Disc,  vol.  ii.  p  468,  Appendix 
44:  "  Our  condition  for  w.int  of  Ph)!>iciaas  is  s.ul,  bciuf^  lain  to  trust  our  lives  in  tlie  Papist 
doctors'  hands,  when  we  fall  sick,  which  is  much,  if  not  more,  than  our  adventures  in  the 
field."     Letter  of  W.  A.,  in  Perfect  Diunuil,  January  Sth,  1650. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  139 

and  tliat  the  rest  niif;ht   be  in  some  garrisons  near,  to  be  brought  inii 
necessity  required  it. 

Inchiquin  went  towards  Limerick  ;  with  400  horse  he  took  pos. 
session  of  Kihriallock,  against  the  will  of  the  inhabitants.  Daniel 
O'Neill,  who  as  an  Ulsterman  and  a  nephew  of  Owen  Roe,  was  accept- 
able to  the  gentlemen  and  officers  of  the  North,  and  as  a  Protestant, 
was  not  objected  to  by  the  Scots,  was  sent  with  2,000  Ulster  foot,  and 
Colonel  Trevor  with  400  horse,  to  assist  Lord  Montgomery  of  Arcies 
and  Sir  George  Munroe,  in  recovering  the  places  lost  in  the*  counties 
of  Down  and  Antrim  ;  when,  after  a  long  and  weary  march,  they 
arrived  there,  they  found  these  commanders  had  been  routed  by  Sir 
Charles  Coote,  at  Lisburn.  Carrickfergus  surrendered  a  week  after, 
"the  town  and  castle  being  of  the  greatest  importance  of  anyplace 
of  the  province  ;  "  and  thus  all  the  North,  except  Charlemont  and 
Enniskillen,  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Parliamentary  forces,  while  in 
the  South,  Broghill  could  boast  that  "  there  was  no  English  garrison 
in  Munster  but  was  theirs." 


140  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


IN    WINTER  QUARTERS. 


Hcad-Quarters  at  Youghal  —  Cromwell  visits  Cork  and  Kinsale — Stubber  —  Visits  Bandon 
and  Skibbereen  —  Cromwell's  Bridge — His  Recall — Sufferings  of  the  People  oi 
Cork  —  Their  Constancy  —  Bramhall  —  The  Church  Bells  —  Coppinger  of  Ballyvo- 
lane  —  The  Clonmacnoise  Decrees. 

While  the  army  was  enjoying  its  well-earned  repose,  Cromwell 
was  busy  making  excursions  from  his  head-quarters  at  Youghal.^ 
About  the  middle  of  December,  in  company  with  Lord  Broghill,  who 
had  joined  him  at  Dungarvan,  he  went  to  Cork;  as  we  learn  from  a 
letter  of  Thomas  Herbert  to  an  "  Honorable  Member  of  the  Council," 
dated  Cork,  December  i8th,  1649:  "Yesterday  my  Lord  Lieutenant 
came  from  Youghal,  the  head-quarters,  my  Lord  Broghill,  Sir  William 
Fenton,^  and  divers  other  gentlemen  and  commanders  attending  His 
Excellency,  who  has  received  here  a  very  hearty  and  noble  entertain- 
ment. The  well-affected  of  the  city  entertained  him  with  much 
heartiness  and  freeness.  To-morrow  the  Major  General  (Ireton)  is 
expected  here  ;  both  in  good  health,  God  be  praised.  This  week,  I 
believe,  they  will  visit  Kinsale,  Bandonbridge,  and  other  places  in  this 
province  that  have  lately  declared  for  us,  and  expect  a  return  of  his 
affection  and  presence,  which  joys  many.  Colonel  Deane  and  Colonel 
Blake,  our  sea-generals,  are  both  riding  in  Cork  harbor."^ 

I'Vom  Cork  he  went  to  Kinsale,  to  view  the  several  forts  there. 
He  found  it  "  ragged  and  without  heat."  The  Mayor,  as  usual,  came 
out  to  meet  him,  and  delivered  to  him  the  town-mace  and  the  keys  of 
the  gates.  Instead  of  returning  them,  as  was  his  practice,  to  the 
Chief  Magistrate,  he  handed  them  over  to  the  governor  of  the  tovvn, 
Colonel  Stubber.  He  said  he  had  been  told  that  the  Mayor  was  an 
Irishman  and  a  Papist,  and  that  he  judged  it  inconvenient  to  entrust 

1  While  at  Youghal  he  is  said  to  have  lived  in  one  of  the  old  castles  adjoining  St. 
John's  house  of  the  Benedictines,  in  the  Main  Street.  During  the  Protectorate  it  was  known 
by  the  name  of. the  Magazine.  It  was  pulled  down  in  1835.  The  front  room  on  the  first 
floor  was  his  council  chamber.  See  A'l/k.  Anh  Journal  for  1S56,  p.  15.  "He  lay  at  Lady 
Corke's  house  at  the  college  ;  he  was  about  to  tal<e  M  rs.  Semmes'  house  to  live  in  this  winter, 
yet  some  say  he  will  go  to  Cork."     Letter  in  Per/.  Diurnal,  January  2d,  1650. 

2  Ills  father,  Sir  Geoffrey,  came  to  Ireland  in  1579.  as  needy  as  his  fellow-adventurer 
Boyle.  Having  obtained  the  place  of  Survesor  General,  he  helpeil  Boyle,  to  whom  he  gave 
his  daughter  in  marriage,  in  his  extortions.  In  the  course  of  one  year  he  managed  to  amass 
a  great  fortune.  Wallo]^  sjjoke  of  him  as  "a  most  apparent  bribe-taker."  See  Ftli^lit  of  the 
Earls,  p  223.  Sir  William  married  Margaret,  the  daughter  and  heiress  of  Maurice  Y'nz 
j-ibbon,  who  inherited  the  estates  of  the  While  Knight  ;  their  daughter  and  heiress  married 
Sir  John'  King,  who  was  created  Lord  Kingston  by  Charles  II.  in  1660.  See  Archdall's 
J'eerage,  vol.  iii.  p.  228. 

3  Brief  Relation.  &c.,  January  ist  to  Sth.  in  Cromwelliana,  p.  73.  These,  with  Sir 
'.V'Miam  l'V;nton  and  ("olnnel  Phavre,  were  appointed  temporary  commissioners  for  the  man- 
agement of  aff.iirs  in  Cork.     Gary's  Memorials,  &c.,  vol.  ii.  p.  1S8. 


CTiOMi'<'ELL   IX   IRELAND.  141 

a  place  of  such  importance  to  one  of  that  creed.  It  was  wliispcicd  to 
Cromwell  that  Stubber  was  not  over  strict  in  his  religious  chitics. 
"May  be  not,"  he  replied;  "but  as  he  is  a  soldier  he  has  honoi,  and 
therefore  we  will  let  his  religion  alone  this  timc."^ 

Revisited  Bandonbridge,  too,  and  found  there  much  hcaitincss, 
"a  fine  sweet  town,  and  an  entire  English  plantation,  without  any  ad- 
mixture of  Irish."  He  was  greatly  pleased  with  the  strength  of  this 
plantation  and  the  devotion  of  the  people  to  the  cause  of  England  ; 
and  speaking  of  the  exertions  of  Richard  Boyle,  first  Earl  of  Cork, 
founder  of  the  colony,  he  declared  that  if  there  were  an  Earl  of  Cork 
in  every  province  of  Ireland,  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  the 
Irish  to  raise  a  rebellion.^  Tradition  says  he  went  on  to  the  west,  by 
Dunmanway  and  Skibbereen  ;  and  that  his  army  took  up  its  quarters 
for  one  night,  at  least,  in  the  church  of  Abbey  Strewry,  on  the  north- 
ern bank  of  the  river  Hen,  about  a  mile  to  the  west  of  the  latter  place. 
The  territory  of  the  O'Donovans  was  wasted,  the  troops  destroying 
all  that  came  in  their  way.^  Two  of  their  castles  were  blown  u[)  with 
gunpowder.  There  is  a  bridge  over  the  Glcngariff  river  bearing 
Cromwell's  name,  an  ancient  structure,  shorn  of  its  parapets  and  long 
disused.  It  is  said  that,  on  Cromwell's  approach,  the  natives  broke 
down  this  bridge,  in  order  to  hinder  his  advance  ;  but  he  forced  them 
to  rebuild  it,  threatening  to  hang  any  who  refused  ;  since  then  it  has 
borne  his  name,  as  also  the  ford,  Ath  Cromwell,  over  which  the  bridge 
is  erected. 

On  the  19th  of  December,  Cromwell  wrote  from  Cork  to  Lenthal, 
giving  an  account  of  the  attempt  made  by  Ferrall  and  O'Neill  to  sur- 
prise the  fort  of  Passage,  and  of  the  repulse  they  met  with.  This 
letter  did  not  reach  the  House  of  Commons  until  the  8th  of  Januaiy. 
On  that  day  a  resolution  was  passed  by  the  House,  that  the  Lord 
Lieutenant  should  be  desired  to  come  over  and  give  his  attendance 
in  parliament  ;  and  the  speaker  was  ordered  to  write  to  him  to  that 
effect.  A  report  had  spread  abroad  that  the  King  had  left  Jersey  and 
was  g(uic  to  Scotland,  and  that  he  was  raising  forces  there  to  invade 
England.  Some  of  the  members  proposed  to  muster  an  army  in  all 
haste  and  send  it  across  the  border.  But  Fairfax,  who  then  held  the 
supreme  military  command,  did  not  seem  willing  to  comply  with  their 
wish  ;  by  many  he  was  said  to  be  too  favorably  disposed  to  the  Scotch, 

'  Wiiglit's  History  of  Ireland,  vol.  ii.  \i.  85  Stul)her  was  aficr  wards  governor  of  Gal- 
way.  Unclcr  ])ieience  of  taking  up  vagrants  and  idle  i)ersons,  he  made  frequent  excursions 
liy  nii^ht  with  aimed  troops  into  the  country,  and  seized  upwards  of  a  thousand  people,  ofien 
without  discrimination  of  raidc  or  condition,  whom  he  transported  to  the  West  Indies,  and 
there  ha  I  sold  as  slaves.  Hardiman's  Htsfo'-y  0/ Gulway,  p  134.  It  was  suspected  that 
Stuhhcr  was  tiie  executioner  of  Charles  I.     fdiii ,  p.  12. 

'^  liennetl's  Hist,  of  Bandon,  p.  154.  He  came  to  Bandon  several  times  afterwards, 
and  always  ])ut  up  at  a  little  two  storied  house  that  occupied  the  site  on  which  the  house  of 
Mr.  F.  I>ennett  now  stands,  in  the  South  Main  Street.  About  the  beginning  of  ihis  century 
I  he  house  was  taken  down;  but  the  boards  of  the  bedroom  occupieti  by  Cromwell,  in  the 
western  end  of  the  house,  were  carefully  removed,  and  relaid  in  the  new  building.     Ibid. 

'  Daniel  O'Donovan,  chief  of  Clancahill,  in  1649,  was  reduced  to  great  extremity  h^ 
I  'roniwell's  forces,  who  seized  all  his  estates,  burning,  killing,  and  destroying  all  tliat  came 
\\\  their  way.  He  surrendered  his  castle  to  the  Commonwealth,  Colonel  F'hayre,  governor 
of  Cork,  having  engaged  to  him  some  satisfaction.  Annals  of  the  Four  Mailers,  ad  nn. 
1600. 


1  ^2  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 

being  influenced  by  his  wife,  who  was  a  strict  Presbyterian.  As  the 
Irish  army  was  in  winter-quarters,  and  the  Parliamentary  party  was 
in  possession  of  nearly  all  the  strongholds,  it  was  thought  that  the 
Lord  Lieutenant's  presence,  so  much  needed  elsewhere,  might  well  be 
spared  in  Ireland.  Cromwell  at  first  showed  a  readiness  to  return  to 
Lngland  and  assume  the  chief  command  of  the  expedition  ;  but,  on 
reflection,  as  the  danger  from  the  side  of  Scotland  did  not  seem  very 
urgent,  he  decided  "to  settle  Ireland  in  a  safe  posture  first."  By 
another  letter,  written  from  Cork  by  Cromwell  to  his  "dear  friend 
Lord  Wharton,"  we  find  that  he  had  returned  to  Cork,  and  was  stay- 
ing there  on  the  first  of  January. 

A  detailed  account  of  the  sufferings  of  the  people  of  Cork  about 
this  time  is  fortunately  preserved  in  the  archives  of  the  Irish  College, 
Rome  ;  it  bears  the  date  of  165 1,  and  was  written  by  a  Jesuit  P'ather 
then  on  the  Irish  mission  :  — 

"The  hatred  of  the  lieretics  towards  our  holy  religion  increasing  every  day,  an 
order  was  published  prohibiting  the  citizens  to  carry  swords  or  to  have  in  their 
houses  any  arms  whatever.  This  order  was  carried  out,  and  soon  anotiier  ])rocla- 
mation  was  issued  by  the  President  of  the  Council  of  War,  commanding  all  Cath- 
olics either  to  abjure  their  religion  or  to  depart  from  the  city  without  delay.  Should 
they  consent  to  embrace  the  religion  of  the  Parliament,  they  were  allowed  to  remain 
and  keep  their  goods  and  property.  Should  they,  however,  adhere  pertinaciously  to 
popery,  all,  without  excejilion,  were  to  depart  immediately  from  the  citv.  Three 
cannon-shots  were  to  be  fired  as  signals  at  stated  intervals  before  nightfall,  and  any 
Catiiolic  found  in  the  city  after  the  third  signal  was  to  be  massacred  without  mercy. 
Then  it  was  that  the  constancy  of  the  citizens  in  the  faith  was  seen,  Tiierc  was 
not  even  one  found  in  the  city  who  would  accept  the  impious  conditions  offered,  or 
try  to  keep  his  property  and  goods  with  the  loss  of  his  faith.  Before  the  third  sig- 
nal all  went  forth  from  the  city  walls,  the  men  and  women,  yea,  even  the  children 
and  the  infirm  ;  and  it  was  a  sight  truly  worthy  of  heaven  to  see  so  many  thousands 
thus  abandoning  their  homes,  so  many  venerable  matrons  with  their  tender  children 
wandering  through  the  fields,  or  overcome  with  fatigue  lying  on  the  ground,  in 
ditches,  or  on  the  highways  ;  so  many  aged  men,  some  of  whom  had  held  high 
offices  in  the  State  and  belonged  to  the  nobility,  with  their  wives  and  families, 
wandering  to  and  fro,  knowing  not  where  to  find  a  place  of  refugee  so  many  mer- 
chants, who  on  that  morning  abounded  in  wealth,  now  without  a  home  in  which  to 
rest  their  weary  limbs.  Yet  all  went  forth  with  joy  to  their  destruction,  abandoning 
their  houses  and  goods,  their  revenues  and  property  and  weaitli,  choosing  rather  to 
be  afilictcd  with  tlie  people  of  God  on  the  mountain-tops  and  in  caverns,  in  hunger 
and  thirst,  in  cold  and  nakedness,  than  to  enjoy  momentary  pleasure  and  temi^oral 
prosperity  with  sin." 

Bramhall,  the  Protestant  bishop  of  Dcrry,  happened  to  be  in 
Cork  about  this  time  ;  with  difficulty  he  contrived  to  evade  the  Puri- 
tan spies.  Cromwell  was  much  displeased  at  his  escape  ;  he  declared 
that  he  would  have  given  a  good  siuri  of  money  for  that  "  Irish  Can- 
terbury," as  he  callccl  him.  Prelacy  in  any  form  was  hateful  to  him. 
Ussher  pleaded  in  vain  with  Cromwell  for  Bramhall  and  his  brother- 
bishops  of  the  Protestant  church.^ 


^  See  Parr's  Life  of  Archhiskop  Ussher,  p.  75.  He  was  afterwards  decl.ired  incapahle 
of  pardon  for  life  or  estate,  and  banished.  Ciom.  Sat.  p.  97.  He  fled  to  the  Continent, 
and  remained  the-e  until  the  Restoration.  In  1660  he  was  translated  from  Derry  to  Ar- 
magh. He  died  in  1663.  Ussher  was  the  head  of  the  Puritan  party  among  the  Protestant 
clergy  in  Ireland.     Leiand's  History  of  JrehuiJ,  vol.  iii.  p.  2S. 


CROMWELL  IN   IRELAND.  143 

Being  very  much  in  want  of  artillery,  he  had  the  bells  of  the  Cork 
churches  melted  down.  When  remonstrated  with  for  the  sacrilege, 
he  replied  that  as  gunpowder  was  invented  by  a  priest,  he  thought  it 
not  amiss  to  turn  the  bells  into  cannons. 

During  his  stay  in  Cork  he  is  said  to  have  made  the  house  of 
Mr.  Coppinger,  at  Ballyvolane,  his  head-quarters,  and  to  have  passed 
the  Christmas  there.i  The  family  tradition  is,  that  Mr.  Coppinger 
was  travelling  in  Holland  some  years  before,  and  was  placed  in  cir- 
cumstances n\  which  he  became  security  for  a  young  Englishman,  a 
brewer,  for  a  debt,  for  which  he  was  arrested.  The  bills,  which  were 
drawn  in  Mr.  Coppinger's  favor  in  liquidation  upon  England,  were  dis- 
honored, and  there  the  matter  rested  —  Mr.  Coppinger  having  to 
make  good  the  payment.  In  1649,  at  the  Court  of  Claims  in  Cork,  he 
was  recognized  by  Cromwell,  who  sent  a  message  to  him  that  he  could 
not  decide  about  the  forfeiture  of  his  property  without  seeing  him. 
Mr.  Coppinger  accordingly  waited  upon  his  Excellency,  when  Crom- 
well inquired,  "Is  not  your  name  Coppinger.?"   "Yes."  "Were  you  not 

at .? "  mentioning  the  town  and  the  year.     "  Yes."    "  Did  you  not 

become  security  for  a  young  man  whose  bills  were  neyer  honored,  and 
you  had  to  pay.?"  "Yes""  "Then,"  said  Cromwell,  "I  am  that 
man,  and  you  will  receive  your  estate  without  further  question,  in 
compensation  of  these  bills."  ^ 

On  the  4th  of  December,  the  Irish  prelates,  to  the  number  of 
twenty,  met  at  Clonmacnoise.  For  nearly  three  weeks  they  sat  in 
council,  seeking  some  remedy  for  the  dire  evils  that  had  fallen  on  the 
country.  The  task  they  set  themselves  was  nearly  a  hopeless  one  : 
to  unite  the  various  discordant  parties  into  which  the  country  was 
split  ;  to  assemble  an  army  scattered  throughout  the  provinces,  and 
demoralized  by  the  treachery  and  incapacity  of  its  leaders  ;  to  raise 
money  for  the  public  wants  from  a  people  that  had  been  plundered 
by  friend  and  foe  alike  ;  in  a  word,  to  make  one  last  effort  for  their 
country  and  for  their  religion,  both  of  which  were- now  threatened 
with  utter  extinction.  The  result  of  their  deliberations  was  embodied 
in  an  address  to  the  clergy  and  the  laity  of  Ireland,  calling  on  them 
in  the  name  of  their  country  and  of  their  faith,  to  forget  their  past 
feuds  and  join  in  resisting  with  all  their  might  the  new  enemy  that 
had  invaded  their  native  land.  "The  whole  Irish  party,"  says  Le- 
land,  "was  anxious  for  the  event  of  this  self-appointed  council,  and 
looked  for  nothing  less  important  than  a  violent  protestation  against 

1  The  house  is  still  standing,  between  Mayfield  and  Dublin  Hill,  to  the  north  east  of 
the  city. 

"  Wright,  in  his  I/isl.  of  Ireland,  vol.  ii.  p.  S6,  gives  the  anecdote  as  communicated  to 
him  by  Mr.  Crofton  Croker.  "August  19th,  1841,  Mr.  Coppinger  called  on  me  at  the  Ad- 
miralty. He  told  me  that  liis  property  at  Dodge's  Glynn,  near  Cork,  \v,as  a  forfeiture  of 
King  William's  time,  the  possessor  having  been  killed  in  the  battle  under  Sir  James 
Cotter.  .  .  .  He  furtlier  says  that  Cromwell  took  up  his  residence  there  while  at  Cork," 
&c.  Another  version,  which  we  have  from  a  number  of  the  Coppinger  family,  (■•'^ys  that 
Cromwell  gave  the  owner  a  ]irntection,  which  saved  the  property  fro'n  confiscation,  and  th  it 
he  w^rote  it  on  the  pommel  of  his  saddle,  seated  on  horseback,  before  the  door.  This  is 
more  probable,  for  the  Court  of  Claims  was  not  e<5tablished  until  1654;  its  fir^t  sittings 
at  Mallow,  where  the  cases  of  the  inhabitants  of  Cork  were  heard,  took  jilacc  in  July,  1656, 
t'roin.  Sett.,  p.  61. 


144  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 

the  government  of  Ormonde.  Happily  the  temper  of  one  of  their 
bishops,  Heber  McMahon,  bishop  of  Clogher,  disappointed  their  ex- 
pectations. P'rom  the  time  of  the  accommodation  between  Ormonde 
and  O'Neill,  in  which  MacMahon  had  been  instrumental,  the  Marquis 
frequently  conversed  with  him  on  public  affairs,  and  inspired  him  with 
a  high  opinion  of  his  taJents  for  government  and  his  zeal  for  the  in- 
terests of  religion.  With  these  sentiments  he  entered  the  assembly 
of  his  brethren,  where  he  had  the  consequence  naturally  derived  from 
superior  abilities.  He  silenced  the  factious,  encouraged  the  moderate  ; 
he  defeated  all  tiie  practices  of  Antrim,  and,  at  length,  with  difficulty 
prevailed  on  the  prelates  to  declare,  by  a  formal  instrument,  that  no 
security  for  life,  fortune,  or  religion,  could  be  expected  from  Crom- 
well ;  to  express  their  detestation  of  all  odious  distinctions  and 
animosities  between  old  Irish,  English,  and  Scottish  Royalists,  and 
their  resolution  of  punishing  all  the  clergy  who  should  be  found  to 
encourage  them."  ^ 

"It  cannot  be  denied,"  says  Borlase,  repeating  the  words  of 
Clarendon,  "  that  the  conclusions  which  were  then  made  were  full  of 
respect  to  the  King's  service  and  of  wholesome  advice  and  counsel  to 
the  people."  Even  Ormonde  admitted  that  "in  the  assembly  there 
were  divers  speeches  made,  tending  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  people, 
and  to  incline  them  to  obedience  to  his  Majesty  and  unity  among 
themselves,  in  opposition  to  the  rebels." 

It  is  not  easy  to  see  what  there  is  in  these  decrees  to  excite  the 
anger  of  Mr.  Carlyle,  or  to  make  him  descend  to  the  use  of  hard 
names.  Can  it  be  that  it  was  a  great  crime  on  their  part  not  to  accept 
with  gladness  "the  true  message  brought  them,"  not  to  recognize  in 
his  hero,  "  the  veritable  heaven's  messenger  clad  in  thunder"?  He 
admits,  indeed,  that  there  was  "some  glow  of  Irish  patriotism,  some 
light  of  real  human  valor  in  those  old  hearts  ;  though  it  had  parted 
company  with  facts,  and  came  forth  in  a  huge  embodiment  of  headlong 
ferocity  and  general  unveracity."  How  far  this  latter  statement  is 
borne  out  by  history,  our  readers  know  from  the  results  of  a  recent 
controversy. 

Immediately  after  the  publication  of  the  bishops'  decrees,  Crom- 
well published  a  reply  to  them  under  the  title :  "  A  Declaration  of 
the  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland  for  the  undeceiving  of  deluded  and 
seduced  people,  which  may  be  satisfactory  to  all  that  do  not  shut  their 
eyes  against  the  light:  In  answer  to  certain  late  Declarations  and 
Acts,  framed  by. the  Irish  Popish  Prelates  and  Clergy  in  a  Conventi- 
cle at  Clonmacnoise."  This  Mr.  Carlyle  styles  "the  remarkablest 
state  paper  ever  issued  by  any  Lord  Lieutenant."  Though  it  is  by 
no  means  so  rare  as  the  Declarations  of  the  Bishops,  it  may  be  new 
to  some  of  our  readers. 

1  History  of  JrcLind,  vol.  iii.  p.  359.  The  Declarations  and  Decrees  of  tlie  Bishops 
made  at  Clonmacnoise  December  4th  and  13th,  1649,  will  be  found  in  Appendi.K  viii.  to  this 
work.     They  are  taken  from  Spicil.  Ossor.,  vol    ii.  p.  38,  &c. 


CROMWELL    IiV  IRELAND.  145 


CHAPTER  XXL 

OPENING    OF    THE    SPRING    CAMPAIGN. 

Cromwell  takes  the  Field  —  A  Day  of  Humiliation  —  March  on  Kilkenny  —  Letter  of  Crom- 
well—  Conna,  &c.,  taken — Fethard  summoned  —  Ludicrous  Account  of  the  Sur- 
render—  Privileges — Surrender  of  Cashel  —  'Forty-nine  (Jfificers — Thurles  Garri- 
soned—  Lady  Thurles. 

Impatient  of  all  delay,  Cromwell  took  the  field  once  more  on 
the  29th  of  January,  the  weather  being  unusually  favorable  for  his 
purposes. 1  Hitherto  his  course  had  been  along-  the  coast  ;  now  he 
would  venture  inland,  and  try  whether  fortune  would  favor  him  there 
as  it  had  done  elsewhere.^  His  forces  were  considerably  less  in  num- 
ber than  when  he  had  landed  in  Dublin  six  months  before,  though 
they  were  largely  recruited  from  the  garrisons  that  had  revolted  to 
the  parliament,  and  from  the  English  that  were  made  prisoners  in  the 
captured  fortresses.  They  had  profited  of  the  rest  afforded  them  in 
their  winter  quarters  ;  for,  in  his  letter  to  the  House  of  Commons 
from  Cork,  dated  December  20th,  he  says  :  "  The  army  is  in  so  good 
health,  that  regiments  which  lately  had  marched  only  400  men,  now 
march  800  or  900."  From  .England  he  had  received  plentiful  sup- 
plies of  men  and  provisions.  And  so  he  found  himself  at  the  head  of 
"a  healthy  and  gallant  army,  full  longing  to  be  abroad  against  the 
enemy,  all  new-clothed  and  money  in  their  pockets."  His  friends,  too, 
gave  him  the  help  of  their  pious. prayers,  for  "the  ofificers  of  the  army 
kept  the  i6th  of  February  a  day  of  humiliation,  grounded  on  the 
dealings  of  God  with  their  brethren  in  Ireland,  Who,  though  He  had 
made  them  a  glorious  testimony  against  the  bloody  enemies,  yet  had 
afillicted  them  by  the  death  of  many  worthies  ;  which  chastening  of 
the  Lord  they  did  desire  to  lay  to  heart,  as  also  that  aflfliction  in  the 
miscarriage  of  some  vessels  sailing  from  Minehead."^ 

Ormonde,  with  a  portion  of  the  Confederate  army,  was  in  winter- 
quarters  at  Kilkenny.  If  he  could  be  taken  unawares,  before  he 
had  time  to  get  his  scattered  forces  together  and  make  the  necessary 
preparations  for  the  siege,  the  war  would  be  at  an  end.  Besides,  Kil- 
kenny and  its  inhabitants  were  special  objects  of  dislike  to  the 
Puritans,  for  it  was  the  nursery  of  the  late  rebellion,  and  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Supreme  Council  of  the  Confederate  Catholics.  To- 
wards  Kilkenny,  therefore,  Cromwell  led   his  army  with  all   speed. 

^  The  winter  had  proved  fairer  than  in  man's  memory  any  winter  hath  been. 

2  "Though  God  hath  blessed  you  with  a  great  longitude  of  land  alongst  the  shore, 
yet  it  hath  but  little  depth  into  the  country."     Cromwell  to  Lenthal,  Dec.  19th,  1649. 

^  February  Sth — Letters  received  from  Cork,  that  five  ships  with  soldiers  were  all 
cast  away  coming  from  Linehead  for  Ireland  —  only  20  or  30  swam  on  shore  —  80  horse  and 
150  foot,  and  all  the  seamen  except  20  or  So. 


H6  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 

The  history  of  this  part  of  the  spring  campaign  is  given  in  such 
graphic  detail  in  one  of 'his  letters  to  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Commons  that  we  cannot  do  better  than  set  it  before  our  readers,  sup- 
plementing it,  when  possible,  from  other  sources.  It  was  written  from 
Castletown,^  which  was  a  seat  of  the  Archbishop  of  Cashel,  and  dated 
February  nth,  1650: 

"  Having  refreshed  our  men  for  some  short  time  in  our  winter-quarters,  and 
health  beins  pretty  well  recovered,  we  thought  fit  to  take  the  field,  and  to  attempt 
such  things  as  God  by  His  providence  should  lead  us  to  upon  the  enemy.  Our 
resolution  was  to  fall  upon  the  enemy's  quarters  two  ways.  The  one  party,  being 
about  fifteen  or  sixteen  troops  of  horse  and  dragoons  and  about  two  thousand  foot, 
were  ordered  to  go  up,  by  way  of  Carrick,  into  the  county  of  Kilkenny,  under  the 
command  of  Colonel  Reynolds,  whom  Major-General  Ireton  was  to  follow  with  a 
reserve.  I  myself  was  to  go  by  the  way  of  Mallow,  over  the  Blackwater,  towards 
the  county  Limerick  and  the  county  Tipperary,  with  about  twelve  troops  of  horse 
and  three  troops  of  dragoons,  and  between  two  and  three  hundred  foot.  I  began 
my  march  upon  Tuesday, "the  nine-and-twentieth  of  January,  from  Youghal." 

Lord  Broghill  was  left  with  a  flying  camp  in  South  Munstcr. 
Colonel  Ingoklsby  was  sent  towards, Limerick. 

He  passed  by  Conna,  five  miles  north-west  of  Tallow.  To  the 
west  of  the  castle^  is  Gallows  Hill.  Here  he  is  said  to  have  halted 
with  his  army,  and  held  council  about  executing  the  garrison.  From 
this  point  he  battered  the  castle  with  his  guns,  but  apparently  with 
little  effect.  He  sent  out  parties  which  captured  the  castles  of  Mo- 
collop,  Cappoquin  and  Dromanah. 

Castletown  Roche  was  heroically  defended  for  some  days  by 
Lady  Roche  against  a  detachment  of  the  army.  She  was  at  length 
forced  to  surrender  by  the  heavy  fire  from  a  battery  erected  in  a  field 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  Awbeg,  Spencer's  "Gentle  Mulla," 
which  is  still  called  "  the  camp."^ 

"  On  Thursday,  the  one-and-thirtieth,  I  possessed  a  castle  called  Kilbcnny,'* 
upon  the  edge  of  the  county  Limerick,  where  I  left  thirty  foot.  Frort  thence  I 
marched  to  a  strong  house  called  Clogheen,^  belonging  to  Sir  Richard  Everard,  who 
is  one  of  the  Supreme  Council,  where  I  left  a  troop  of  horse  and  some  dragoons. 
From  thence  I  marched  to  Roghill  castle,"  which  was  possessed  by  some  Ulster 
foot  and  a  party  of  the  enemy's  horse;  which  upon  summons,  I  having  taken  the 
captain  of  the  horse  prisoner  before,  was  rendered  to  me.     These  places  being  thus 

1  Four  miles  nortli  of  Carrick. 

^  A  large,  square  tower,  built  on  a  steep  hill  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  Bride  ;  it 
was  the  residence  o'f  Thomas  Fitzgerald,  elder  brother  of  Gerald,  the  great  I'^arl  of  Des- 
mond, and  failier  of  the  famous  Sugan  Earl. 

3  In  T/ie  Cromwelliiiit  Sittlcment  it  said  that  Cromwell  ]3assed  it  bv,  not  caring  to 
assault  a  place  so  well  fortilied;  p.  183.  Lady  Ruche  was  hanged  four  years  after  in  Cork, 
having  been  falsely  accused  of  murder  by  a  certain  ungrateful  English  maid-servant,  whom 
she  had  taken  into  her  house.     Morison's  Tlircnodia,  p.  72. 

■*  Kilbenny,  midway  between  Mitchelstosvn  and  Clogheen. 

^  Twelve  miles  south  west  of  Clonmel.  The  Everards  were  owners  of  large  estates 
near  Fethard.  The  barrack  in  that  town  was  formerly  their  residence.  Sir  Richard 
played  an  important  part  in  the  rebellion  of  164 1.  When  Limerick  surrendered  in  1651  his 
life  and  estates  were  declared  forfeited,  because  he  was  '"one  of  those  who  opposeii  and  re- 
strained the  deluded  people  from  accepting  the  conditions  offered  to  them."  Lenihan's 
History  cf  Limerick,  p.  183  ;  Dublin,  1S66. 

^  Now  Rehill,  nine  miles  south-west  of  Cahir.  ■  •■    ■ 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  147 

possessed  ,c;ave  us  mucli  cominnnd,  tn<:;ctlier  witli  some  otlicr  stiongholds  we  have 
of  the  Wiiilc  KniLjIU,'  at>d  J\oclic's  country,''  and  of  all  tlie  land  from  Mallow  to  tlie 
Suir  side,  especially  by  another  old  castle,  taken  by  my  Lord  of  liroghill,  called 
Old  Castletown,''   since  my  march,  which  I  sent  his  lordship  to  endeavor." 

When  Castletown  was  captured,  Broghill  "  gave  quarter  for  life 
and  their  wearing  apparel  to  the  private  soldiers,  and  the  officers  to 
be  at  his  discretion,  Thereupon,  by  advice,  he  caused  all  these  to  be 
shot  to  death,  to  affright  those  little  castles  for  so  persistently  holding 
out." 

"  Also  a  castle  of  Sir  Edward  Fitzharris,*  over  the  mountains  in  the  county  of 
Limerick;  I  having  left  his  lordship  at  Mallow  with  about  six  or  seven  hundred 
horse,  and  four  or  five  hundred  foot  to  protect  these  parts  and  your  interest  in  Mun- 
ster,  lest  while  we  were  abroad,  Inchiquin,  whose  forces  lay  about  Limerick  and  the 
county  Kerry,  should  fall  in  behind  us.  Llis  lordship  drew  two  cannon  to  the  fore- 
said castle,  which  having  summoned  they  refused.  His  lordship  having  bestowed 
upon  it  about  ten  shot  made  their  stomachs  come  down.  He  gave  all  the  soldiers 
quarter  for  life,  and  shot  all  the  officers  being  six  in  number.  Since  the  taking  of 
these  garrisons  the  Irish  have  sent  their  commissioners  to  compound  for  their  con- 
tributions as  far  as  the  walls  of  Limerick." 

He  sent  a  detachment  to  Newcastle,  a  stronghold  on  the  southern 
bank  of  the  Suir,  the  seat  of  the  Prendergasts.  The  castle  was  sur- 
rendered by  the  owner  ;  but  it  was  immediately  restored  to  him  on  con- 
dition that  the  defences  should  be  taken  down.  A  few  soldiers  were 
left  to  see  the  order  carried  out.  The  rest  of  the  detachment  had  not 
proceeded  far  when  they  heard  confused  noises  behind  ;  they  hurried 
Ixick,  thinking  that  tlie  tenants  of  the  castle  were  min-dcring  their 
comrades.  It  was  only  the  noise  of  a  pack  of  buck-hounds  kept  in 
the  bawn.  The  owner  and  his  hounds  were  led  off  to  Cromwell. 
The  dogs  seem  to  have  been  successful  mediators  for  their  master,  for 
he  ol)taincd  the  General's  favor.  There  is  a  letter  of  Cromwell's  still 
extant  rec]uesting  that  this  gentleman  and  his  family  might  be  spared 
from  transplantation.  The  request,  however,  was  not  complied  with  ; 
his  estates  passed  to  the  Adventurers,  and  his  children  beCanie  exiles.'^ 

He  crossed  the  Suir  at  Rochestown,  three  miles  south  of  Cahir. 

"From  thence,"  he  continues,  "we  marched  to  Fcthard,  almost  in  the  heart  of 
the  county  Ti])perary,  where  was  a  garrison  of  the  enemy.  The  town  i?  most 
pleasantly  seated,  having  a  very  good  wall  with  round  and  square  bulwarks,  alter 

'  John  Fitzgerald,  called  John  of  Callan,  because  he  was  slain  there  by  the  M'Carthys 
in  1261,  was  married  twice.  By  his  first  marriage  he  had  a  son  Maurice,  the  ancestor  of  the 
Kiitlare  Fitzgeralds;  by  the  second  he  had  four  sons,  on  whom,  as  Count  Palatine,  he  con- 
ferred kniglitliood  ;  these  were  tlie  ancestors  of  the  Munster  Fitzgcralds.  'J'he  eldest  was 
(;ill)crt  or  Gilibon  ;  hence  his  descendants  were  called  the  Clan  Cibbon.  The  two  last  who 
bore  the  title  of  White  Knight,  made  themselves  infamous  by  their  treachery  towards  their 
kinsmen,  the  great  Earl  of  Desmond  and  the  Sugan  Earl.  Their  territory  lay  about  Mitch- 
elstown,  in  the  county  of  Cork.  An  interesting  account  of  the  fate  and  fortunes  of  the  last 
of  this  family  who  was  owner  of  the  ca  tie,  is  given  in  Mr.  A.  M.  Sullivan's  A'^eiu  Ireland^  p. 
129  ;  London,    1S78. 

^  The  disl'ilct  about  Fermoy. 

8  Near  Kildorrery,  in  the  county  of  Cork  ;  it  belonged  to  the  Fitzgibbons. 

*  Castlehaven  speaks  of  "  Cloughnosty,  a  house  of  Sir  Edward  Fitiharris,  seated  in 
the  moimtains  between  the  counties  of  Cork  and  Limerick." 

'»  Cmm.  Sftf.,  Introd.  xxv.,  and  A7//'.  Arch.  Journal  for  1S76,  p.  51.  Only  a  scanty 
remnant  of  the  castle  is  standing.      It  is  about  seven  miles  south  of  Cloniiiel. 


148  CROMWELL  IN-  IRELAND. 

the  old  manner  of  fortifications.  We  came  thitlicr  in  the  niglit,  and  indeed  were 
very  much  distressed  by  sore  and  tempestuous  wind  and  rain.  After  a  long  march 
we  knew  not  well  how  to  dispose  of  ourselves;  but  finding  an  old  abbey  in  the 
suburbs,  and  some  cabins  and  poor  houses,  we  got  into  them,  and  had  opportunity 
to  send  the  garrison  a  summons.  They  shot  at  my  trumpet,  and  would  not  hsten 
to  him  for  an  hour's  space.  But  having  some  officers  in  our  party  whom  they  knew, 
I  sent  them  to  let  them  know  I  was  there  with  a  good  part  of  the  army.  We  shot 
not  a  shot  at  them  ;  but  they  were  very  angry,  and  fired  very  earnestly  on  us,  telling 
us  it  was  not  a  time  of  night  to  send  a  summons.  But  yet  in  the  end  the  governor 
was  willing  to  send  out  two  commissioners;  I  think  rather  to  see  whether  there  was 
a  force  sufficient  to  force  him  than  to  any  other  end.  After  almost  a  whole  night 
spent  in  treaty,  the  town  was  delivered  to  me  the  next  morning,  upon  terms  which 
we  usually  call  honorable,  which  I  was  the  more  willing  to  give,  because  I  had  little 
above  two  hundred  foot,  and  neither  ladders,  nor  guns,  nor  anything  else  to  force 
them." 

In  T/ic  Jrisli  MontJiIy  Mercury^  a  newspaper  of  the  time,  a  ludi- 
crous account  is  given  by  one  of  Cromwell's  soldiers  of  the  terror  of 
the  town  authorities  when  called  on  to  surrender  : 

"From  Rahill  his  Excellency  went  to  Rochestown,  where  he  got  over  the 
river  Suir  in  such  a  nick  of  time  that  the  least  protraction  had  metamorphosed  the 
ford  into  a  ferry.  The  same  night,  in  a  hideous  tempest,  he  came  late  before 
the  town  of  Fethard,  where  the  governor,  little  dreaming  of  any  storm  but  that  of 
the  weather,  was  summoned  by  his  Excellency.  The  gentleman  at  first  thought  it 
was  in  jest;  but  the  corporation  swearing  and  trembling  it  was  in  earnest,  he  con- 
cluded from  the  last  as  much  as  from  the  first,  that  it  was  so ;  and  by  the  same 
action  evidencing  he  was  of  the  same  faith,  like  one  well  versed  in  his  trade,  called 
a  council  of  Shakers  to  know  whether  it  was  consonant  to  the  rules  of  war  to  summon 
a  town  by  candle-light.''  After  a  small  debate,  either  for  the  time  or  for  the  sense, 
they  concluded  that  whether  it  were  or  no  —  for  the  thing  was  left  amphibious  —  it 
was  consonant  to  the  rules  of  safety  to  surrender  the  place  ;  which  he  did,  modestly 
saying  that  he  had  lost  his  government  in  a  storm  and  not  tamely,  as  other  governors 
had  done,  and  that  by  his  then  surrendering  he  had  satisfied  his  engagement  to  the 
Supreme  Council,  which  was  that  none  of  them  should  live  to  see  the  day  in  which 
he  should  lose  Fethard;  no,  nor  the  sun  neither,  though  it  shine  on  all  the  world 
but  Wood  Street.  We  were  more  troubled  to  come  to  than  to  come  by  this  town, 
which  my  Lor(i  Lieutenant  entered  by  the  same  light  in  which  he  had  summoned 
it,  the  late  Governor  entertaining  him  with  a  file  of  health  ;  but  sure  he  had  so  much 
care  of  his  own  that  he  did  not  drink  it,  so  that  his  modesty  or  circumspection 
lessened  him  of  one  cup,  but  he  had  drunk  of  another  had  he  wanted  the  latter." 

Iludlow,  whose  account  of  all  that  took  place  before  his  arrival 
in  Ireland,  is  singularly  inaccurate,  says  the  Corporation  of  Fethard 
sent  deputies  to  surrender  the  town  before  Cromwell  thought  of  ap- 
proaching it.  The  towns-people,  with  a  pardonable  vanity,  believe 
that  the  town  was  surrendered  only  after  an  obstinate  resistance. 
Both  these  statements  are  false,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  following 
document.  Cromwell  arrived  before  the  town  late  at  night,  and  on 
his  arrival  sent  a  trumpeter  with  a  summons,  calling  on  the  garrison 
to  surrender.     To  this  summons  he  received  the  following  reply  :  — 

For  Oliver  Cromwell,  General  of  the  Parliament  forces  now  in  Ireland; 

May  it  please  your  Lordship, — 

I  have  received  your  letter  about  nine  of  the  clock  this  night, 
which  hour  I  conceive  unreasonable  for  me  to  treat  with  you.     Yet  if  your  Lordship 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  149 

pleases  to  send  sufficient   hostac;es  in  for  such  as  I  will  employ  to  treat  with  you,  I 
will  be  ready  to  entrust  some  in  that  business.     Having  no  more  at  present, 
I  remain, 

Your  honor's  friend  and  servant, 

Pierce  Butler. 

From  the  Garrison  at  Fethard,  Feb.  2d,  1650, 
hcilf  an  hour  of  nine  o'clock  of  the  night. 

The  following  articles  of  surrender  were  signed  the  next  morn- 
ing before  six  o'clock  ;  the  Parliamentary  garrison  was  admitted 
before  eight : 

AriicUi  of  agreement  inade  and  concluded  on  tJic  3d  day  of  February^  1650,  between 
the  Most  Hon.  Olwcr  Cromwell,  Lord  Licuienant-General  of  Ireland,  and 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Pierce  Butler,  Goi'ernor  of  the  Town  of  Fethard,  concerning 
the  surrender  of  the  said  town,  as  follows  :. 

1.  That  all  the  officers  and  soldiers  shall  march  freely  with  their  horses  and 
arms  and  all  other  goods,  l^ag  and  baggage,  colors  flying,  matches  lighted,  ball  in 
bouche,  into  any  place  within  his  Majesty's  quarters  or  garrisons,  except  such  as 
are  now  besieged,  safely  conveyed  thither,  free  from  violence  from  any  of  the  Par- 
liament's party. 

2.  That  all  the  country  families  and  inhabitants,  as  also  any  of  the  ofTficers 
may  freely  live  and  enjoy  their  goods  either  in  town  or  abroad;  if  they  or  any  of 
them  be  disposed  to  betake  themselves  to  their  former  habitations  in  the  countrv, 
that  they  have  respite  of  time  for  that,  arid  admittance  to  enjoy  tiieir  holdings,  pay- 
ing contribution,  as  others  in  the  country  do,  and  carry  with  them  safely  sucli  goods 
as  they  have  within  this  garrison. 

3.  That  all  clergymen  and  captains  of  (he  soldiers,  both  town  and  county  now 
in  this  garrison,  may  freely  march  bag  and  baggage  without  any  annoyance  or  preju- 
dice in  body  or  goods. 

4.  That  all  and  every  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  town,  and  their  wives, 
children  and  servants,  with  all  their  goods  and  chattels,  both  witiiin  the  town  and 
abroad  in  the  country,  shall  be  protected  from  time  to  time,  and  at  all  times;  and 
sliall  quietly  and  peaceably  enjoy  their  estates,  both  real  and  personal,  in  as  free 
and  good  condition  as  any  English  or  Irish  shall  hold  his  or  their  estates  in  this 
kingdom,  they  and  every  of  them  paying  such  contribution  as  the  rest  of  (he  inhab- 
itants of  the  county  of  Tipperary  pay  proportionably  to  their  estates,  and  no  more. 

In  consideration  whereof  the  said  Governor  doth  hereby  engage  himself  that 
he  will  deliver  up  the  said  town  with  all  things  therein,  except  such  things  as  are 
before  agreed  upon,  to  be  taken  away  with  them  by  eight  of  the  o'clock  this  morning. 

(Signed), 

O.  CaOiMWELL.' 

By  reason  of  their  timely  surrender,  not  only  the  people  but  even 
the  priests  were  then  spared,  and  allowed  to  enjoy  their  liberties  and 
properties  in  security  ;  and  later  they  escaped,  being  transplanted  to 
Connaught.  On  the  26th  of  October,  16.53,  ii"'  reply  to  their  petition 
to  be  secured  in  the  possession  of  their  lands,  the  Standing  Com- 
mittee of  Officers  for  References  were  ordered  by  the  Commissioners 
of  the  Commonwealth  of  England  for  the  affairs  of  Ireland,  to  con- 
sider of  their  petition  and  the  articles  annexed,  and  to  testify  their 
opinion  therein  to  the  said  Commissioners  of  the  Commonwealth.  To 
which  they  sent  in  the  following  answer,  Nov.  2d,  1653  : 

'  MS.  in  the  Royal  Irish  Academy.  In  Hall's  Ireland,  vol.  i.  p.  231,  there  is  mention 
of  a  certain  gate  of  the  town  through  which  no  corpse  was  ever  carried,  because  it  was  by  it 
that  Cromweil  entered  the  town.     This  gate  was  taken  down  about  ten  years  since. 


150  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 

"In  obedience  to  your  Honor's  reference,  having  taken  into  consideration  the 
Articles  of  Fethard,  and  the  testimony  of  the  good  affection  of  tlie  inhabitants  of 
the  said  town  to  the  EngHsh  interest  in  the  beginning  of  the  rebelHon,  and  the  con- 
stant manifestation  of  their  good  affection  since  the  said  Articles,  and  the  several 
expressions  of  the  Lord  Lieutenant  and  the  late  Lord  Deputy  upon  consideration 
of  their  Articles,  that  they  were  a  people  to  be  differenced  from  the  rest  of  the 
whole  nation  ;  we  humbly  offer  that  the  said  inhabitants  may  enjoy  the  benefit  of 
their  Articles  in  the  place  where  they  now  live,  and  not  be  transplanted  into 
Connaught  or  elsewhere. 

"  Signed  in  the  name  and  by  appointment  of  the  said  Committee. 

"  Charles  Coote." 

When  the  Royalist  officers,  after  the  restoration  of  Charles  II., 
who  were  to  divide  between  them  all  the  houses  of  the  Irish  in  the 
towns  as  not  yet  set  out  to  the  Adventurers  or  soldiers,  sent  surveyors 
there,  as  to  all  other  towns,  to  measure  and  value  the  houses,  the 
Sovereign  and  Commons  of '  the  town  opposed  them,  and  prevented 
them  by  force  from  so  doing. 

"  The  night  we  entered  Fethard,"  continues  Cromwell,  "  there  being  about 
seventeen  companies  of  the  Ulster  foot  in  Cashel,  about  twenty-five  miles  from 
thence,  they  quit  it  in  some  disorder.  The  Sovereign  and  aldermen  since  sent  to 
me  a  petition  that  I  would  protect  them  ;  which  I  have  also. made  a  quarter." 

Hearing  the  favorable  conditions  which  their  neighbors  at  Fethard 
had  received,  they  hastened  to  offer  the  keys  of  the  town  to  Crom- 
well and  to  throw  themselves  on  his  mercy.  They  too  were  promised, 
at  least  such  of  them  as  were  not  in  the  rebel  army,  and  were  actually 
inhabiting  the  town  at  the  time  of  the  surrender,  that  they  should  be 
dispensed  from  transplanting.^  Such  mercy  was  not  acceptable  to 
those  who,  four  years  later,  laid  claim  to  the  town  ;2  any  delay  allowed 
they  thought  displeasing  to  God  :  and  when  on  the  23d  of  May,  1654, 
the  whole  town,  except  some  few  houses  that  the  English  lived  in,  was 
burnt  to  the  ground  in  little  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  the  dis-- 
aster  was  attributed  to  the  wrath  of  God  against  the  iniquity  of  the 
people,  not  the  least  of  their  crimes  being  their  unwillingness  to  depart 
from  their  homes  and  transplant  to  Connaught. 

A  regiment  was  sent  from  Fethard  to  garrison  Thurles,  which 
some  of  the  Royalists  threatened.  In  a  "  Letter  of  the  Commissioners 
to  the  Lord  Deputy  and  Council  of  Ireland,  from  Mallow,  August 
13th,  1656,  on  behalf  of  Lady  Thurles,^  the  daughter  of  Sir  John 
Poyntz,  of  Acton,  in  Gloucestershire,  who  sought  to  be  excused  from 

1  JbiJ.  p.  114.  In  reply  to  their  petition,  an  order  was  issued  dispensing  them  from 
transplanting  till  May  ist,  1655. 

2  These  were  called  the  'forty-nine  officers ;  they  had  been  in  the  standing  army  of 
Charles  L  in  Ireland  before  June  5th,  1649;  as  these  got  no  lands  from  Cromwell,  there 
was  granted  to  them  at  the  Restoration  all  that  portion  of  the  forfeited  property  of  the  Irish 
which  had  not  been  given  already  to  the  Adventurers  and  soldiers,  viz  ,  the  houses  in  the 
corporate  towns  and  the  mortgaged  lands.  The  distribution  was  intrusted  to  a  body  of 
trustees,  sitting  in  the  Green  Chamber  in  the  Custom  House,  Dublin.  See  The  Calendar  of 
State  Papers  (1603-1606),  edited  by  Rev.  C.  W.  Russell  ind  J.  P.  Prendergast,  Esq.,  preface 
Ixxxiii.  ;  London,  1S72. 

*  She  was  the  mother  of  the  Marquis  of  Ormonde,  and  wife  of  Thomas,  eldest  son  o 

Walter  Butler  of  Kilcash,  who  by  courtesy  was  styled  during  his  grandfather's  lifetime  Lord 

.  Thurles.     After  his  death  she  married  George  Mathews  of  Thurles,  founder  of  the  Llandaff 


CROMWELL    m  IRELAND.  151 

tran.splantinr:^,  on  the  r^round  of  constant  good  affection  to  the  English 
Government,"  it  is  stated  that  — 

"When  his  Highness  sat  hefore  Fethard,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Brian  O'Neill, 
with  about  1,500  of  the  Irish  army  well  appointed,  came  to  Lady  Thurles' town  of 
Thurles,  and  desired  admission  with  his  party,  to  garrison  her  house,  which  she 
refused:  and  immediately  sent  advertisement  to  his  Highness  thereof,  and  prayed 
he  would  be  pleased  to  send  a  garrison  of  his  army.  Whereupon  Major  Bolton, 
with  a  regiment  of  horse  and  foot,  was  immediately  commanded  away  to  her  house. 
A  certificate  of  Major  ]5olton's  was  produced  declaring  the  same,  and  likewise  that 
tlie  said  lady  was  instrumental  in  the  rendition  of  Cahir." 

family.  She  was  "a  Popish  recusant,"  and,  as  such,  transplantable,  though  she  had  ad- 
vanced considerable  sums  of  money  towards  the  relief  of  the  English  army,  and  entertained 
at  hei  house  for  many  weeks  Major  Peisley  and  some  of  his  company,  who  were  wounded 
at  the  capture  of  Archerstown  by  the  Irish.  From  time  to  time  she  was  dispensed  from 
transplanting,  and  dwelt,  perhaps,  with  the  Countess  of  Ormonde  (who  retained  her  own 
property,  though  the  estates  of  the  Earl,  her  husband,  were  confiscated),  till  her  son  returned 
with  increased  honors  and  power  at  the  Restoration.  Crorn.  Sclt.  p.  245,  and  the  A'ilk. 
Arch.  "Jourtial  for  1S63,  p.  282. 


152  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


•IHE    CAPTURE    Of    CALLAN. 


March  on  Callan  —  Fanning  of  Ballingarry  —  "A  Country  worth  fighting  for"  —  Defence 
of  Callcn — The  Assault — Geoghegan  of  Frevanagli — Skerry's  Castle — Butler's 
Castle — Return  to  Cashel  —  Ardfinan  —  Cost  of  the  War  i.i  Ireland  —  Thanks  of 
the  House  —  The  Cockpit. 

From  Fethard,  where  some  of  the  sick  were  left  behind,  the 
army  took  the  road  towards  Callan.  Fanning,  who  had  a  strong 
castle  near  the  village  of  Ballingarry,  visited  Cromwell  on  his  way. 
He  represented  himself  as  the  constant  friend  of  the  Parliamentary 
party,  and  in  consequence  hated  by  the  peasantry.  He  invited  the 
General  to  his  house.  On  their  way  a  blaze  appeared  in  the  distance. 
Fanning  declared  that  his  enemies  had  set  fire  to  his  castle.  A  huge 
heap  of  furze  had  been  gathered  together  by  his  order,  and  fired  at 
their  approach.  The  trick  succeeded  for  a  while  j  Fanning  was 
assured  that  he  should  be  left  in  full  possession  of  his  property. 
But  it  was  soon  found  out,  and  he  was  put  to  death. 

Somewhere  here  Cromwell  is  said  to  have  stood  on  a  hill,  and 
gazing  on  the  country  that  lay  at  his  feet,  to  have  exclaimed,  "  This, 
indeed,  is  a  country  well  worth  fighting  for."^  Perhaps  it  was  the 
sight  that  made  him  "  set  apart  a  good  and  great  part  of  Tipperary 
for  himself  as  a  demesne,  as  he  called  it,  for  the  State,  in  which  no 
adventurer  or  soldier  should  demand  his  lot  to  be  assigned,  and  no 
doubt  intended  both  the  State  and  it  for  the  making  great  his  own 
family." 

Tradition  says  that  Cromwell  came  to  Callen  by  way  of  Kells, 
and  that  as  he  was  passing  Castle  Eve,  then  belonging  to  the  Sweet- 
man  family,^  a  shot  was  fired  at  him  from  one  of  the  windows.  He 
continued  his  march,  merely  remarking  that  it  was  not  worth  while 
losing  precious  time  to  look  after  the  person  who  was  silly  enough 
to  fire  the  shot.  The  family  had  abandoned  the  place,  leaving  behind 
a  simpleton  ;  he  had  fired  the  shot.  When  Cromwell  was  passing  by 
soon  after,  he  plundered  the  castle,  and  compelled  the  simpleton,  a 
man  of  prodigious  strength,  to  take  to  the  highroad  a  curiously 
wrought  gate  with  brass  fittings.  His  life  was  spared,  and  he  lived 
for  many  years  after. 

1  William  of  Orange  is  said  to  have  uttered  the  same  exclamation  when,  on  his  march 
to  Carrick,  he  gained  the  summit  of  a  hill  overlooking  Tijiperary,  and  beheld  the  Golden 
Vale  for  ilie  f.rst  t'.me. 

-  The  Sweetman  arms  are  still  to  be  seen  at  Newtown  on  the  tomb  of  Walter  Sweet- 
man,  15.iron  of  \ir\y,  which  bears  the  date  of  1553.  In  the  neighoring  church  yard  of  Kclls 
is  buried  Milo  Sweetman,  who  was  archbishop  ot  Armagh  from  ij6i  to  13S0. 


CliOMWKLL   jy  JRKLAXD.  153 

Callan  had  been  appointcfl  the  rendezvous  for  Reynolds,  Ircton 
and  Sankey.  This  was  tlien  a  jilacc  of  considerable  strength  ;  it  was 
surrounded  by  a  strong  wall  and  defended  by  three  castles.^  Crom- 
well, in  order  to  batter  down  the  gate  and  wall,  planted  his  cannon 
on  a  hill  at  the  southern  end  of  the  fair  green,  afterwards  called 
Cromwell's  Moat,  which  stood  about  two  hundred  yards  south  of  the 
gate  or  fosse.  In  this  place  soon  after  he  erected  a  gallows  to  hang 
his  prisoners.  Here  probably  suffered  "my  Lord  of  Ossory's  captain- 
lieutenant  of  horse."  Some  years  ago  the  remains  of  weapons,  and 
the  bones  of  horses  and  men  were  found  in  this  fosse.  The  mound 
was  removed  about  thirty-five  years  since  by  order  of  the  Sovereign  of 
Callan,  when  the  fair-green  was  levelled. 

The  author  of  the  Apliorisvial Discovery  gives  the  following  account 
of  the  capture  of  this  town  : 

"  111  tliis  time  Ormonde  diJ  appoint  a  garrison  in  Callan,  1,500  men  in  tlic  great 
castle,  an  impregnant  "piece  cf  work,  under  the  command  cf  Sir  Robert  Talbot. 
Among  the  rest  was  one  Captain  Ceoghegan,  cf  Frevanaglr,  in  the  Ijarony  cf  Moy- 
casiiel,  with  his  company,  in  a  petty  castle,  a  kind  of  gate-house,  thatclied  with  straw. 
The  enemy  marching  iiome,  Captain  Geoghegan  advising  with  Sir  Robert  Tailiot, 
that  they  were  best  to  demolish  the  said  petty  castle,  as  not  defensible,  and 
he  and  his  company  to  come  to  the  great  caslle,  and  did  undertake  to  defend  the 
same.  Though  this  motion  was  so  reasonable  that  no  true-hearted  martialist  in  siich 
an  extremity  could  ever  deny  it ;  notwithstanding,  Talbot  would  not  admit  it,  as  not 
suiting  to  his  former  treachery.  The  Captain's  motion  rejected,  must  now  stick  to 
liis  gate-house  for  proper  security  or  perish  ;  whereupon  (he)  did  resolve  either  to 
die  or  make  good  the  place.  The  enemy  now  approaching  thought  all  to  be  safe; 
but,  contrary  to  his  expectation,  was  opposed  at  the  said  gate-house  with  a  bloody 
volley  of  shot,  laying  down  dead  at  least  a  do7.cn.  The  enemy  observing  that  fatal 
beginning,  did  march  in  a  full  body  towards  the  said  gate.  The  assault  was  mighty 
r.crce  and  bloody,  the  defence  extraordinary;  the  enemy  was  three  several  times  re- 
pulsed and  beaten  back,  with  mighty  great  loss,  and  the  defendants  lost  many  of 
their  men  ;  quarter  they  would  not  accept,  though  several  times  offered  ;  the 
Governor  never  yet  relieved  them  with  one  man.  The  enemy  now  marched  with 
main  force,  the  defendants  (though  the  best  they  could  be),  now  by  the  multitude 
overswayed,  were  all  to  the  last  man  put  to  the  sword  ;  never  a  man  escaped  the 
fury,  and  none  killed  but  iu  action  and  who  well  deserved  death.  Three  hundred  at 
least  of  the  enemy  was  killed  in  the  same  place,  and  many  deadly  wounded.  Captain 
Geoghegan  was  killed,  and  was  truly  reported  by  the  very  enemy  that  he  never  saw 
such  feats  done  by  one  man  as  was  acted  by  the  Captain.  Twenty  at  least  he  killed 
with  his  proper  sword;  nay,  his  wife  and  the  rest  that  survived  him,  and  the  rest 
during  the  assault,  did  kill  eight  men  with  stones  and  other  weajwns  that  fell  from 
the  perishing  soldiers,  as  was  given  out ;  wjio  was  tyrannically  butchered, and  left  for 
dead  among  her  comrades,  though  now  living.  My  Lord  Cromwell's  party,  since  he 
came  to  Irelnnd,  never  received  such  a  fire  and  by  so  weak  an  instrument. 

"  The  Governor  observing  all  the  former  passages,  cajialilc  to  relieve  the  one 
and  highly  annoy  the  other,  did  neither  of  both,  his  castle  being  impregnable  against 
any  running  army.  The  enemy  .  .  .  having  now  gone  so  far  as  to  possess  them- 
selves of  the  gate,  marched  towards  the  great  castle,  who  without  one  shot  in  oppo- 
sition, presently  embraced  a  parly  for  surrender  which  out  of  hand  they  did,  upm 
quarter  only  of  tlieir  lives  which  granted,  the  Governor  did  yield  this  brave  castle  to 
the  enemy."' 

1  Callan  received  a  charter,  with  very  extensive  privileges,  from  William,  Earl  Mar- 
shal, in  1 217. 

2  Aplior.  Disc,  vol.  ii.  p.  64.  Talbot  was  a  partisan  of  Ormonde's.  After  the  loss  of 
Callan  he  got  the  coiiunand  of  Rilkea  castle,  ia  the  county  of  Kildare,  and  later  of  Tecro- 
ghan,  both  of  which  he  surrendered  in  an  equally  cowardly  way. 


15-!:  CROMWELL  ly  IRELAND. 

In  the  West  Street  there  is  an  old  building  still  standing,  called 
in  ancient  documents  Skerry's  Castle.  It  is  said  that  after  the  sur- 
render of  the  town  this  castle  still  held  out,  and  that  it  was  reduced 
by  scalding  to  death  the  soldiers  who  defended  it.  Some  of  the 
towns-people  who  took  refuge  in  the  lower  rooms  perished  in  the 
same  way.  This  tradition  seems  to  be  confirmed  by  the  fact  that  in 
1830,  when  the  castle  was  undergoing  some  alterations,  the  workmen 
engaged  in  levelling  the  garden  at  the.  rear  came  on  an  immense 
quantity  of  bones  a  little  below  the  surface,  which  were  estimated  to 
be  the  remains  of  over  one  hundred  and  fifty  human  beings.^  A  woman 
named  Kate  Haherney  threw  herself  from  one  of  the  windows,  to 
escape  punishment  for  refusing  to  give  some  secret  information.  The 
garrison  of  Butler's  castle,  a  short  distance  from  the  town,  were  so 
terrified  at  the  fate  that  had  befallen  those  who  had  offered  any  resist- 
ance, that  they  surrendered  at  the  first  summons,  and  asked  permis- 
sion to  go  to  Kilkenny,  which  was  given  them  by  Cromwell. 

Cromwell's  account  of  the  capture  of  Callan  is  as  follows  : 

"  From  thence  (Fethard)  I  marched  to  Callan,  hearing  that  Colonel  Reynolds 
was  there  with  the  party  before  mentioned.  When  I  came  hither,  I  found  he  had 
fallen  on  the  enemy's  horse,  and  routed  tliem,  being  about  a  hundred,  with  his  for- 
lorn ;  he  took  my  Lord  of  Ossory's  captain-lieutenant  and  another  lieutenant  of  horse 
prisoners  ;  and  one  .  of  those  who  betrayed  our  garrison  of  Enniscorthy,  whom  we 
hanged.  The  enemy  had  possessed  three  castles  in  the  town,  one  of  them,  belong- 
ing to  one  Butler,  very  considerable;  the  other  two  had  about  a  hundred  or  a 
hundred  and  twenty  men  in  them,  which  he  attempted  ;  and  they  refusing  conditions, 
reasonably  offered,  were  put  all  to  the  sword.  Indeed,  some  of  your  soldiers  did 
attempt  very  notably  in  this  service.  I  do  not  hear  there  was  six  men  of  ours  lost. 
Butler's  castle  was  delivered  upon  conditions  for  all  to  march  away,  leaving  their 
arms  behind  them,  wherein  I  have  placed  a  company  of  foot  and  a  troop  of  horse, 
under  the  command  of  my  Lord  Colvill,  the  place  being  six  miles  from  Kilkenny. 
From  thence  Colonel  Iveynolds  was  sent  with  his  regiment  to  remove  a  garrison  of 
the  enemy's  from  Kncjcktopher,'-'  being  the  way  of  our  communication  with  Ross, 
which  accordingly  he  did.  We  marched  back  with  the  rest  of  the  body  to  I'^ethard 
and  Cashel,  where  we  are  now  quartered,  having  good  plenty  both  of  horse  meat  and 
men's  n-.eat  for  a  time,  and  being  indeed,  as  we  may  say,,  even  almost  in  the  heart 
and  bowels  of  the  enemy,  ready  to  attempt  what  God  shall  next  direct.  And  blessed 
be  His  name  only  for  this  good  success  ;  and  for  this  that  we  do  not  find  our  men 
are  at  all  considerably  sick  upon  this  expedition,  though  indeed  it  hath  been  very 
blustering  weather." 

At  Cashel  he  established  his  head-quarters,  and  froin  thence  sent 
detachments  to  reduce  the  chief  garrisons  in  the  surrounding  country. 
While  here,  he  levied  monthly  contributions  on  the  counties  of  Tip- 
perary  and  Limerick. 

"  I  had  almost  forgot  one  business.  The  Major-General  (Ireton)  was  very 
desirous  to  gain  a  pass  over  the  Suir,  where  indeed  we  had  none  but  by  boat,  or 
when  the  weather  served.    Wherefore,  on  .Saturday,  in  the  evening, he  marched  with 

1  Callan  held  out  but  one  day,  and  paid  dear  for  that  sliort  resistance,  all  persons  there 
being  put  to  the  sword  except  Butler's  troops,  which  surrendered  before  tlie  town  was  fired. 
Echard's  Ilistury  of  Eni^Liiid,  p.  667.  15rui)diii  says  Cromwell  ordered  all  the  citizens  to  be 
1  ut  to  death  :   Cives  omues  ad  unum  .   .   .  triicidiiri  jussit. 

^  Mention  has  been  made  already  of  the  capture  of  this  castle. 


VR(>M\VKLL  jy  IRELAND.  155- 

a  party  of  horse  and  foot  to  Arsinom,'  where  was  a  bridge,  and  at  tlie  foot  of  it  a 
strong  castle,  whicli  he  about  four  o'clock  tlie  next  morning  attempted,  killed  about 
thirteen  of  the  enemy's  outguard,  lost  but  two  men,  and  eiglit  or  ten  wounded.  The 
enemy  yielded  the  place  to  him,  and  we  are  possessed  of  it,  being  a  very  consid- 
eralilc  pass,  and  nearest  to  our  pass  at  Caiipocpiin  over  the  Blackwater,  whither  we 
can  bring  guns,  ammunition,  or  other  things  from  "V'oughal  by  water,  and  then  over 
this  pass  to  the  army.  The  county  of  Tipperary  have  submitted  to  £i,Soo  a  month 
contribution,  although  they  have  six  or  seven  of  the  enemy's  garrisons  still  upon 
them. 

"  Sir,  I  desire  the  charge  of  England  as  to  this  war  may  be  abated  as 
much  as  may  be,  and  as  we  know  you  do  desire,  out  of  your  care  to  the  Common- 
wealth. But  if  you  expect  your  work  to  be  done,  if  the  marching  army  be  not  con- 
stantly paid,  and  the  course  taken  that  hath  been  constantly  represented,  indeed  it 
will  not  be  for  the  thrift  of  England,  as  far  as  England  is  concerned,  in  the  speedy 
reduction  of  Ireland.  The  money  we  raise  upon  the  counties  maintains  the  garrison 
forces,  and  hardly  that.  If  the  active  force  be  not  maintained,  and  all  contingencies 
defrayed,  how  can  you  expect  but  to  have  a  lingering  business  of  it.''  Surely  we 
desire  not  to  spend  a  shilling  of  your  treasury  wherein  our  consciences  do  notpromi:it 
us  to  serve  you.  We  are  willing  to  be  out  of  our  trade  of  war,  and  shall  hasten  (by 
God's  assistance  and  grace)  to  the  end  of  our  work,  as  the  laborer  cloth  to  be  at  his 
rest.  This  makes  us  bold  to  be  in  earnest  with  you  for  the  necessary  supplies  ;  that 
of  money  is  one.^  And  there  be  some  other  things  which  indeed  I  do  not  think  for 
vour  service  to  speak  of  publicly,  which  I  sliall  humbly  represent  to  the  Council  of 
State,  wherewith  I  desire  we  may  be  accommodated. 

"  Sir,  the  Lord,  who  doth  all  these  things,  gives  hopes  of  a  speedy  issue  to  this 
business,  and,  I  am  persuaded,  will  graciously  appear  in  it.  And  truly  there  is  no 
fear  of  the  strength  and  combination  of  enemies  round  about,  nor  of  slanderous 
tongues  at  home.  God  hath  hitherto  fenced  you  against  all  those,  to  wonder  and 
amazement;  they  are  tokens  of  your  prosperity  and  success  ;  only  it  will  be  good 
for  you  and  us  that  serve  you  to  fear  the  Lord  ;  to  fear  unbelief,  self-seeking,  con- 
fidence in  an  arm  of  flesh,  and  opinion  of  any  instruments  that  they  are  other  than 
as  dry  bones. 

"  That  God  be  merciful  in  these  things,  and  bless  you,  is  the  humble  prayer  of, 

"  Sir, 

"Your  most  humble  servant, 

"  O.  Cromwell." 


The  Commons'  Journals,  under  the  date  of  P^cbruary  25th,  state 
that  "A  letter  from  the  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  from  Castletown, 
dated  February  15th,  was  this  day  read,  and  ordered  to  be  forthwith 
printed  and  published.  Ordered,  that  a  letter  of  thanks  be  sent  to 
the   Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland  ;  and  that   the  speaker  do  sign  the 


1  The  strong  castle  of  Ardfinan  was  taken,  well  victualled  and  manned  ;  it  yielded  after 
about  eight  o.'  nine  shots  had  been  fired,  upon  condition  to  march  to  Limerick.  Perfect 
Diurnal,  February  5th.  This  castle  is  on  the  Suir,  seven  miles  south-west  of  Clonmel.  A 
round  tower  rt  the  north-west  angle,  a  gateway,  and  a  scpiare  tower  at  the  south-west  angle, 
and  the  remains  of  tlie  connecting, walls,  constitute  all  that  is  left  of  this  celebrated  fortress. 
Hemphill's  lUustraiiotis  of  Clonmel,  p.  52  ;  Dublin,  1S60. 

"  It  appears  from  an  entry  in  "A  Booke  conteyniitg  the  Chardge  of  the  Cominon-ivealth 
of  England  for  the  Warre  of  Ireland,  and  other  Disbursements  depoidittg  thereupon,^''  that 
from  the  ist  of  March,  1649,  *"  '''^  '6th  of  February,  1650,  the  sum  of  ^535,590  7J.  %d.  was 
paid  out.  Of  this  sum  f.xoo.xz'i  \s.  i\d.  was  for  arrears  due,  besides  meal,  beeves,  wheat, 
winter-quarters,  King's  customs,  and  enemies'  estates. 


156  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


same.     Resolved,  that  the  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland  should  have  the 
•  use  of  the  lodgings  named  the  Cockpit,^  of  the  Spring  Garden,  and 
St.  James's  House,  and  the  command  of  St.  James's  Park." 

1  Henry  VIII.  added  the  Cockpit  to  Whitehall  Palace.  Hatton  describes  it  as  "be- 
tween the  gate  into  King's  Street,  AVestminster,  and  the  gate  by  the  Banqueting  House"; 
the  former  was  known  as  Cockpit  Gate.  James  I.  went  there  twice  a  week  to  see  the  sport 
of  cockfighting.  At  tliis  time,  and  long  after,  it  was  a  suni])tuous  royal  dwelling.  Monk, 
duke  of  Albemarle,  died  there  in  1670.  After  the  fire  of  1697  it  was  altered  into  the  Privy 
Council  Office.  It  retained  its  original  name  long  after  the  change  in  its  uses.  The  Treas- 
ury minutes,  so  late  as  1780,  were  headed  "  The  Cockpit."  Its  site  is  occupied  by  the  pres- 
ent Privy  Council  Office.  Even  in  1830  the  place  where  the  Court  of  Appeal  if  the  Privy 
Council  sat  was  commoi\ly  spoken  of  as  the  Cockpit,  because  it  set  on  the  site  of  the  old 
cockpit  at  Whitehall. 


CRoMrVKLL    IN   IRELAND.  157 


CFIAPTER    XXIIL 


THE  CAmrRE  OF  CAHIR  CASTLE. 


Caliir  Summoned  —  Its  Defences  —  Articles  of  Surrender — Kiltcnan  —  Dundrum — Gold- 
enhridge  and  15allinakill  Taketi  ■ — ■  The  Commissioners  of  Trust  Adjourn  to  Ennis  — 
Ormonde  goes  to  J.imcricii —  I'roposals  of  the  Jiishops  —  Mis  Reply  —  Distrust  of  the 
Citizens  —  Dismissal  of  tiie  English  Protestant  Forces  —  Declaration  of  the  Bisho]is  — 
State  of  Cromwell's  Army. 

On  the  24th  of  February  the  army  appeared  before  Cahir.  Hugh 
O'Neill  had  been  ordered  by  Ormonde  to  proceed  to  Clonmel  with 
1,500  Ulster  men,  and  to  act  as  governor  of  the  town  and  the  sur- 
rounding country.  He  took  care  to  strengthen  not  only  Clonmel  but 
the  neighboring  towns  of  Cahir  and  Fethard,  as  he  knew  the  enemy 
purposed  marching  on  Kilkenny  as  soon  as  he  could  take  the  field  in 
spring.  Cahir  Castle^  was  secured  with  strong  gates  and  a  drawbridge ; 
and  the  court-yard  was  surrounded  by  a  high  wall.  It  was  well  sup- 
plied with  provisions  and  ammunition  of  every  kind.  Mr.  Mathews,  a 
uterine  brother  of  Lord  Ormonde,  was  the  governor  ;  he  welcomed 
tlic  reinforcement,  80  in  number,  and  set  about  the  preparations 
necessary  for  a  vigorous  defence.  He  ordered  the  Ulster  troops  to 
defend  the  court-yard,  promising  at  the  same  titne  to  admit  them 
within  the  castle  walls  in  case  they  were  overpowered  by  superior 
numbers,  or  the  works  could  be  held  no  longer.  Cromwell,  as  was 
his  custom,  sent  forward  a  messenger  calling  on  the  Governor  to  sur- 
render : 

For  the  Covernor  of  Cahir  Castle.  These  : 
Sir,  Before  Cahir,  24///  Fcb7-uary,  1650. 

Having  brought  the  army  and  my  cannon  near  this  place,  according  to  my 
usual  manner  in  summoning  places,  I  thought  fit  to  offer  you  terms  honorable  for 
soldiers:  That  you  may  march  away  with  your  baggage,  arms,  and  colors,  free  from 
injury  or  violence.  But  if  I  be,  notwithstanding,  necessitated  to  bend  my  cannon 
upon  you,  you  must  expect  the  extremity  usual  in  such  cases.  To  avoid  blood,  this 
is  offered  to  you  by 

Your  servant 

Oliver  Cromwell. 

Very  soon  Cromwell's  army  came  up  and  strove  to  scale  the 
outer  wall ;  they  were  gallantly  repulsed  by  the  Ulstermen,  who 
bravely  held  their  ground  until  they  saw  the  heavy  ordnance  planted 
against  tlie  walls.      Knowing  that  certain  death  awaited  them  if  they 

1  The  Earl  of  Essex,  at  his  being  with  tlie  army  in  Ireland  (1^99),  made  a  journey 
into  Munster,  in  the  hope  to  coni]iosc  the  troubles  ;  all  that  he  performed  at  the  time  wa? 
the  taking  of  Cahir  castle.  It  was  retaken  almost  inunediately  after  by  James  Butler,  lirothel 
of  the  Earl  of  Cahir  ;  but  he  gave  it  up  within  a  short  time  to  the  President  of  Munster. 


BOSTON  COT.LRGE  TJHKAKY 


158  CROMWELL   IN  IHELAXD. 


remained  any  longer  in  the  courtyard,  their  officer  went  to  Mathews 
and  asked  him  to  admit  the  men  within  the  castle,  as  he  had  promised. 
jNIathews  refused.  On  his  return  to  his  men  the  officer  found  a 
trumpeter  from  Cromwell  demanding  a  parley  ;  this  was  granted.  A 
capitulation  followed,  Mathews  stipulating  for  the  security  of  his  wife's 
jointure  and  of  his  own  private  property.  The  garrison  was  allowed 
to  march  out  with  banners  displayed  in  body  and  posture  of  fight, 
with  all  their  arms,  bag  and  baggage.  A  pass  was  given  to  the 
Ulstermen  to  continue  in  the  English  quarters  for  a  month,  if  they 
pleased ;  this  they  accepted,  and  they  marched  towards  Clonmel. 
Cromwell  made  much  "of  them,  and  told  the  captain  that  if  he  would 
continue  with  them  in  his  army,  he  would  use  him  well  and  give  him 
a  month's  pay  before  hand.  The  captain  gallantly  answered,  to  Crom- 
well's admiration,  that  for  a  world  he  would  not  change  places,  but  he 
would  rather  undergo  any  penalty,  nay,  the  basest  death  that  could  be 
invented,  rather  than  give  a  stroke  against  his  religion  or  swerve  from 
his  principles.  He  and  his  party  went  to  join  their  countrymen  who 
were  garrisoned  at  Clonmel. 

Articles  made  and  agreed  on  the  zi^th  day  of  February,  1650,  between  his  Excel- 
lency the  Lord  Lieutena?it  of  Ireland  on  the  one  part,  and  Captain  George 
Mathews,  Governor  of  Cahir  Castle  oj  the  other  part,  concerning  the  surrender 
of  the  same  Castle,  viz. : 

Imprimis,  that  the  Governor  and  all  the  officers,  soldiers,  and  clergymen,  and 
servants  may  march  out  with  their  horses,  and  arms,  and  bag  and  baggage.  The 
En,"-lish  soldiers  willing  to  serve  his  Excellency  may  be  entertained.  Those  that 
wilf  not,  either  English  or  Irish,  to  have  liberty  to  live  quietly  in  the  country,  laying 
down  tlieir  arms,  or  passes  to  go  elsewhere. 

That  the  Governor  may  enjoy  his  estate  which  he  hath,  as  his  wife's  jointure  or 
wardship  of  the  heiress  of  Cahir. 

-That  he  may  have  his  goods  and  chattels,  and  liberty  for  a  week  to  carry  them 
away;  and  have  the  possession  of  the  castle  of  Roghill  for  his  habitation,  and  his 
corn  yet  remaining  there,  his  Excellency  keeping  two  tiles  of  musketeers  there. 

That  the  goods  he  hath  in  the  castle  belonging  toothers  maybe  delivered  to  the 
several  proprietors. 

That  in  consideration  hereof,  the  Governor  is  to  deliver  up  the  same  castle  to 
his  Excellency  upon  signing  these  Articles. 

O.  Cromwell. 

February  ^i,th,  1650. 

Kiltenan,^  "a  very  large  and  strong  castle  of  Lord  Dunboyne's," 
was  next  captured  "with  the  cannon  without  the  loss  of  one  man." 
Dundrum  was  taken  by  a  detachment  sent  to  seize  it  under  the  com- 
mand of  Colonel  Sankey,  though  it  was  well  provisioned  for  a  siege 
and  manned  by  two  troops  of  horse  and  some  foot.  Sankey's  horse 
attacked  the  outer  wall,  while  his  foot  stormed  the  town  ;  the  defend- 
ers were  soon  driven  into  the  castle.  Seeing  that  resistance  was 
hopeless,  they  made  terms  with  the  assailants  and  delivered  up  the 
town  and  castle,  leaving  their  arms  and  horses  behind.     During  the 

1  Six  miles  north  of  Cloinnel.  Three  of  the  four  round  towers  at  the  angles  of  the 
bawn  are  standing  ;  the  breaches  made  in  them  by  CroinweU's  cannon  are  still  visible. 
Hemphill's  Clonmel.  &c.,  p   n6. 


CROMWELL   IN  JRELAXD.  159 

assault,  Sankey  received  a  wound  in  the  right  hand.  Goldenbridge^ 
and  BallynakilP  were  also  taken  ;  in  the  latter  a  strong  garrison  was 
left.  "We  have  also  divers  garrisons  in  the  locality  of  Limerick," 
wrote  Cromwell,  "  and  by  these  we  take  away  the  enemy's  subsistence 
and  diminish  their  contributions,  by  which  in  time  I  hope  they  will 
sink." 

The  Commissioners  of  Trust,  with  Ormonde's  consent,  issued 
circular  letters  asking  deputies  from  all  parts  of  the  kingdom  to  come 
m  and  represent  the  grievances  of  which  the  people  complained,  "that 
by  their  joint  advice  and  assistance,  life  might  be  conserved  in  this 
gasping  kingdom,  the  only  means  to  attain  to  that  end  being  for  them 
to  remove  such  causeless  distrust,  which,  being  maliciously  infused 
into  the  people's  minds,  did  slacken,  if  not  wholly  withdraw,  their 
obedience  from  his  Majesty's  authority,  rendering  it  impossible  with  • 
honor  or  hope  of  success  to  contend  against  a  ]3owerful,  absolutely 
obeyed,  and  plentifully  supplied  enemy."  About  the  end  of  January 
they  assembled  at  Kilkenny  ;  but  being  alarmed  at  Cromwell's  ap- 
proach, they  adjourned  to  Ennis,  the  capital  of  Clare.  The  sole 
result  of  their  conference  was,  that  they  seemed  to  be  only  more  con- 
firmed in  their  distrust  of  Ormonde  and  of  his  policy. 

Ormonde  left  to  Castlehaven  the  government  of  Kilkenny,  and 
want  to  Limerick,  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  contributions  towards  the 
raising  and  support  of  an  army.  On  the  27th  of  February,  he  issued 
letters  of  invitation  to  the  archbishops,  bishops,  and  other  persons  of 
quality  of  the  kingdom,  to  repair  to  Limerick,  and  meet  him  there  on 
the  8th  of  March,  "that  by  their  advice  and  assistance,  the  best  and 
speediest  way  of  advancement  of  his  Majesty's  service  and  preservation 
of  his  people  may  be  resolved  upon."  They  came  at  the  appointed  time. 
Ormonde  told  them  that  "  unless  the  people  were  brought  to  have 
full  confidence  in  him,  and  yield  him  perfect  obedience  ;  and  unless 
the  city  of  Limerick,  in  particular,  would  receive  a  garrison  and  obey 
orders,  there  was  no  hope  of  making  any  considerable  opposition  to 
the  enemy  ;  and  desired  them  to  deal  freely,  if  they  had  any  mistrust 
of  him  or  dislike  of  his  government,  since  he  was  ready  to  do  any- 
thing for  the  people's  preservation  that  was  consistent  w^th  his  honor 
and  his  duty  to  the  King.  And  since  it  was  manifest  that  the  name 
without  the  power  of  Lord  Lieutenant  could  bring  nothing  but  ruin 
upon  the  nation  and  dishonor  upon  him,  they  should  either  procure 
entire  obedience  to  his  authority  or  propose  how  the  kingdom  might 
be  preserved  by  quitting  it."  To  all  which  they  answered  with  many 
expressions  of  respect  and  affection.  They  presented  the  following 
considerations  to  his  Excellency  : 

I.  That  a  privy  council  should  be  appointed  of  the  peers  spiritual  and  temporal 
and  other  natives  of  tlie  counlr}',  to  sit  witli  liis  Excellency  daily,  and  determine  .all 
weiglity  affairs  of  the  country  by  their  counsel,  the  Commissioners  of  Trust  being 
onlv  charged  with  the  care  of  the  due  observation  of  the  Articles  of  Peace.  2.  That 
an  exact  establishment  of  the  forces  forthwith  be  agreed  on,  directing  what  should' 

'    Five  miles  west  of  Casiiel.      This  castie  is  siill  stniuling. 

-  In  tlic  (Queen's  County,  five  miles  south  east  of  Abl)cyieix.  A  part  of  this  castle  is 
Still  standing. 


160  CROMWELL   IX  IRELAND. 

be  the  number  of  horse  and  foot ;  no  payments  to  be  made  except  for  the  forces  ready 
for  service  ;  all  care  to  be  taken  to  avoid  tlie  burdening  of  the  people  with  free  quarters. 
3.  That  care  be  taken  in  the  enrolling  of  the  army  and  in  the  garrisoning  of  the 
places,  that  n;  ne  who  could  not  be  confided  in  should  be  in  the  number  of  the  forces 
or  continue  in  garrison.  4.  That  the  forces  be  withdrawn  from  the  several  places 
already  garrisoned  without  the  concurrence  of  the  Commissioners  of  Trust,  and 
these  not  again  garrisoned  without  the  consent  of  the  Commissioners.  5.  That 
great  mistrust  and  jealousy  having  arisen  on  account  of  Catholics  having  been  re- 
moved from  some  of  the  greatest  employments  of  trust  in  the  army,  those  so  removed 
to  be  forthwith  restored.  6.  That  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  people,  who,  in  the  many 
disorders  of  the  times,  saw  no  face  of  justice  among  them,  judges  be  appointed  to  go 
circuit  twice  a  year,  and  justices  of  the  peace  in  quarter  sessions,  to  whom  the  people 
might  ap])ly  for  redress  against  oppression  and  extortion.  7.  That  an  account  be 
taken  of  all  the  moneys  received  since  the  signing  of  the  peace,  that  due  satisfaction 
may  be  given  to  the  people  in  the  knowledge  of  the  right  disposal  thereof ;  in  future 
all  payments  of  public  moneys  to  be  made  only  with  the  consent  of  the  Commis- 
sioners of  Trust.  8.  I'hat  any  oppressions  or  extortions  of  any  of  the  officers  or 
others  of  the  army  hitherto,  or  the  surrender  of  castles  or  towns  to  the  enemy,  be 
strictly  examined  and  punished  by  the  lord  lieutenant,  the  Privy  Council,  and  a 
council  of  war.  g.  That  all  acts  and  orders  be  recalled  whereby  any  public  revenue 
was  in  any  way  diminished ;  and  those  profiting  thereby  to  account  in  full  for  the 
profits  that  accrued  to  them.  ic.  That  no  charge  be  imposed  on  the  people  by  ap- 
plotment,  free  quarters,  or  otherwise,  but  by  the  Commissioners  of  Trust. 

To  these  demands  Ormonde  replied  that  the  appointment  of 
Privy  Councillors  was  reserved  exclusively  to  the  King  ;  but  if  those 
formerly  in  power  had  abused  their  trust,  he  would  appoint  in  their 
place  others  free  from  all  just  exception.  The  second  point  he  would 
immediately  put  in  execution,  reserving,  however,  to  himself  the  right 
of  nominating  such  officers  as  he  should  think  suited  to  the  posts. 
The  other  recommendations  he  promised  to  carry  out  to  the  best  of 
his  power,  pleading  as  an  excuse  for  the  violations  of  the  terms  of  the 
peace,  the  straits  to  which  he  had  been  reduced  in  his  efforts  .to  keep 
the  army  on  foot.  To  many  his  answers  seemed  unsatisfactory,  leav- 
ing him  means  of  escape  when  it  suited  his  purposes.  But  the  chief 
reason  of  their  suspicion  was  owing  to  the  particular  favor  and  friend- 
ship which  he  showed  to  his  partisans.  The  bishops  seemed  satisfied 
with  his  answer,  and  soon  after  presented  him  with  the  following 
Declaration,  in  which  they  vindicated  their  conduct  in  the  past,  and 
set  before  him  their  plans  for  the  welfare  of  the  country  in  the  future  : 

T/ie  Declai-ation  of  the  tindernafned  Bishops,  tji  the  name  of  tliemselves  and  the  rest 
of  the  Bishops  convoked  at  Limerick,  as  deputed  by  tiiein,  presented  to  the  Lord 
Marquis  of  Ormonde,  Lord  Lieutenant  for  his  Majesty,  etc. 

May  it  please  your  Excellency  to  be  informed  that  we  are  very  sensible  of  the 
jealousies  and  suspicions  conceived  of  us(  as  was  intimated  unto  us),  that  we  believe 
arising  from  some  disaffected  and  misunderstanding  persons  that  spare  not  to  give 
ill  cliaracters  of  us;  as  if  in  these  deplorable  times,  wherein  our  religion,  king,  and 
country  are  come  to  the  vertical  point  of  their  total  ruin  and  destruction,  it  should 
be  imagined  by  any  that  we  behave  ourselves  like  sleeping  pastors,  in  no  ways  con- 
tributing oi.r  best  endeavors  for  the  preservation  of  the  people,  which  ought  to  be 
more  dear  unto  us  than  any  worldly  thing  that  may  be  thought  of.  Wherefore  as 
well  for  the  just  vindication  of  our  own  reputation  against  such  undeserved  asper- 
sions, as  for  future  testimony  of  our  sincerity  and  integrity  to  endeavor  always  the 
safety  of  the  people  and  to  manifest  to  your  Excellency,  as  the  King's  Majesty's 
lieutenant  and  chief  governor  of  this  kingdom,-  that  no  labor  or   care  of  ours  hath 


CROMWELL    IX  IRELAND.  101 

been,  or  sliall  he  wanting  to  proceed  effectually  to  any  proposals  you  will  please  to  make 
known  unto  us  that  may  conduce  to  tliose  ends  ;  we  tliouglit  it  therefore  fit  to  present 
this  Declaration  of  our  real  intentions,  in  tlie  name  of  ourselves  and  tiie  rest  of  our 
l^rethren,  the  Archbishops  and  llisliops  of  this  kingdom,  whereby  wc  avow,  testify, 
declare  and  protest  before  God  and  tlie  world,  that  since  our  annual  meeting  at  Clon- 
macnoisc  or  here,  we  have  omitted  nothing  that  did  occur  unto  us,  tending  to  the 
advancement  of  his  Majesty's  interest  and  the  good  of  the  kingdom  generally;  but 
have  there  and  then  ordered  and  decreed  all  unto  us  appertaining,  or  which  was 
in  our  power,  necessarily  conducting  to  the  ])ublic  conservation  of  his  Majesty  and 
his  subjects'  interests.  And  also  do,  and  have  endeavored  to  root  out  of  men's  hearts 
all  jealousies  and  sinister  opinions,  conceived  either  against  your  Excellency  or  the 
present  Government,  as  by  our  acts  then  conceived  may  appear;  and  after  our 
l)arting  from  thence,  in  pursuance  of  our  unanimous  resolution  taken  in  that  place, 
we  have  accordingly  declared  to  our  respective  flocks  our  happv  agreement  amongst 
ourselves,  and  our  earnest  desire  to  labor  with  them  to  those  ends,  and  made  use  of 
(uir  best  persuasions  for  the  purchasing  of  their  alacrity  and  cheerful  concurrence  to 
the  advantage  of  that  service  ;  so  that  if  anything  was  wanting  of  due  correspondence 
sought  by  your  Excellency,  we  conceive  it  cannot  be  attributed  to  any  want  of  care 
or  diligence  in  us. 

And  for  further  intimation  of  our  hearty  desires  on  all  occasions  to  serve  our 
king  and  country,  we  declare  that  we  are  not  yet  deterred  for  want  of  good  success 
in  the  affairs  of  the  kingdom,  but  rather  animated  to  give  further  onsets  and  trv  all 
other  possible  ways.  Wherefore  we  most  humbly  entreat  your  Excellency  to  give 
us  some  particular  instructions,  and  to  prescribe  some  remedies  for  and  touching  the 
grievances  presented  by  us  to  your  Excellency  for  pacifying  of  discontented  minds, 
and  put  us  in  a  way  how  to  labor  further  in  so  good  a  cause.  And  we  do  faidifully 
piromisc  that  no  industry  or  care  shall  be  wanting  in  us  to  receive  and  execute  your 
conditions. 

And  in  conclusion,  we  leave  to  all  impartial,  judicious  persons  sad  and  serious 
considerations  to  think  how  incredible  it  is,  that  we  should  fail  to  oppose,  to  the 
uttermost  of  our  power,  the  fearful  and  increasing  potency  of  a  rebellious  and 
malignant  murderer  of  our  late  Sovereign  King  Charles  ;  to  which  enemy  also  noth- 
ing scemeth  more  odious  than  the  names  of  Kings  and  Bishojis,  and  who  aims  at 
nothing  so  much  as  the  dethroning  our  now  gracious  King  Charles  the  Second,  and 
the  final  extirpation  of  our  natives,  in  case  (as  God  forbid)  events  and  successes 
would  fall  suitable  to  his  most  wicked  designs.  So  far  we  thought  necessary  to 
declare  to  your  Excellency  from  ourselves,  as  the  sense  likewise  and  true  meaning 
of  the  rest  of  our  brethren,  other  Bishops  of  this  kingdom. 

Dated  at  Loughrea  the  28th  of  March,  Anno  Domini,  1650. 
Jo.  Archicpiscopus  Tuamensis. 
VVal.  Episcopus  Clonfert. 
Franc.  Allad. 

Rob.  Corcag.  et  Cluanensls. 
Fr.  Hugo  Episcopus  Duacensis. 

"  Some  of  the  principal  persons  among  the  confederates,"  says 
Cox,  "  and  with  them  some  of  the  bishops,  under  show  of  great  con- 
fidence and  trust,  repaired  to  the  Lord  Lieutenant  at  Limerick,  and 
declared  unto  him,  that  all  the  waywardness  and  indisposition  of  the 
people  proceeded  from  the  prejudice  they  had  against  Lord  Inchiquin, 
who  had  always,  they  said,  prosecuted  the  war  against  them  with  the 
utmost  rigor  and  animosity  ;  and  the  places  and  persons  which  had 
been  most  at  his  devotion  having  treacherously  revolted  to  the  Parlia- 
ment, the  people  were  not  too  confident  of  him,  and  jealous  that  the 
Marquis  had  too  great  confidence  in  him ;  so  that,  if  he  would  dismiss 
that  Lord  and  discharge  the  troops  that  yet  remained  under  his  com- 
mand, of  which  some  frequently  ran  away  to  the  Parliament,  not  only 
that  city  (Limerick)  but  the  whole  nation,  as  one  man  would  be  at  his 


1G2  CROMWELL   ly  IRELAXD. 

disposal."  ^  Other  leading  men  of  the  city  came  to  Inchiquin  and 
assured  him  that  they  expected  no  success  under  Ormonde,  because 
he  was  not  of  their  nation,  and  was  so  indulgent  to  luiglish  interests 
and  Englishmen,  that  he  regarded  little  them  or  theirs.  But  if  his 
Lordship,  who  was  of  the  most  ancient  and  noble  extraction  of  Ire- 
land, had  the  supreme  command,  then  all  would  be  well. 

From  this  time  forward  Ormonde  had  so  small  hopes  of  the  Irish, 
that  he  employed  Bramhall,  bishop  of  Derry,  to  treat  with  some  for- 
eign prince  about  transporting  five  or  six  thousand  men  and  employ- 
ing them  in  his  service.     The  Commissioners  of  Trust,  about  the  end 
of  March,  issued  a  manifesto,  declaring  that  their  fellow-countrymen, 
the  Irish,  had  been  very  jealous  of  the  English  regiments  associated 
with  them  under  Ormonde's   command,  since  the  betrayal  by  their 
comrades  of  the  garrisons  of  Cork,  Youghal,  Kinsale,  and  Bandon  to 
Cromwell.     They  now  found  those  that  remained  praising  Cromwell  ; 
and  they  reminded  Ormonde  that  Inchiquin  had  admitted  in  his  pres- 
ence,  that    the    m.en  under   his    command  were  not   to   be  trusted. 
Accordingly  they  requested  his   Excellency  to   dismiss   his   English 
forces.     The  earnest  wish  of  these  was  to  obtain  liberty,  if  possible, 
to  lay  down  their  arms  and  retire  to  their  homes.     They  sent  commis- 
sioners to  Cromwell,  then  at  Fethard  ;  and  by  articles  signed  there, 
April  26th,  1650,  by  Sir  Robert  Sterling,  Michael  Boyle,  and  Colonel 
John   Daniel,  as  agents  for  Ormonde's  Protestant  forces,  to  such  of 
these  officers  and  soldiers,  and  gentlemen  and  clergymen,  being  Eng- 
lish or  Scotch  and  Protestants,  as  desired  to  come  off  from  the  Irish 
Popish  party,  protection  would  be  given  for  six  months,  to  dispose  of 
their  goods  ;  and  on  giving  in  such  engagement  of  fidelity  as  should 
be  required,  and   submitting   to  such   fine  and  composition  as  parlia- 
ment might  impose  on  them,  they  should  be  allowed  their  estates  as 
other  people  not  obnoxious  to  any  delinquency,  until  the  pleasure  of 
the  parliament  should  be  known  ;  all  others  willing  to  give  such  en- 
gagements should  have  passes   given   them  to  transport  themselves 
and  their  families  beyond   the  seas  :  the  benefit  of  these  conditions 
extending,  however,  to  such  only  as  should  come  in  within  thirty  days. 
Vice-Admiral   Penn,  who  had  command  of  the  Irish  Sea,  was  ordered 
to  allow  them  a  passage  over  the  Shannon,  where  his  ships  then  rode, 
and   to  offer  them  what  countenance  and   assistance  they  needed  for 
the  furthering  of  their   purpose.     Those   of   Colonel    Daniel's   party 
were  to  present  themselves  at  Doneraile,  Lord   Montgomery  of  Ardes 
at   Enniskillcn,  and    Sir   Thomas   Armstrong   at   Trim.      Inchiquin's 
forces  too  disbande:!,  except  Colonel  Butler's  regiment,  which  went 
towards  Galway.^ 

*  I  confess  the  Lord  Lieutenant  had  his  faction  at  Limerick,  though  the  major  and 
honester  part  were  against  him 

2  CroinwfU's  Articles  for  the  Protestant  p.irty  of  Ireland  are  given  in  full  in  Aphor. 
Disc,  vol.  ii.  p.  393,  appendix  cl.x.x.w.  Dean  IJoyle  obtained  a  pass  froni  Cromwell  for 
Ormonde  ;  this  Ormonde  indignantly  rejected.  In  a  letter  to  Cromwell  he  says  :  '•  I  had  no 
intention  to  treat  with  you  lor  a  pass  or  any  other  thing.  I  have  by  this  trumpeter  returned 
you  your  paper;  and  for  your  unsought  courtesy  do  assure  you,  when  you  sh.-vll  desire  a  jjass 
Irom  me,  I  shall  n^t  make  usi  of  it  to  corrupt  any  that  commands  under  you." 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  163 

.The  conduct  of  the  people  of  Limerick  would  seem  to  have  irri 
tatcd  Ormonde  very  much.  They  did  not  show  him  any  of  that 
outward  respect  which  was  due  to  his  exalted  jiosition.  No  one  iiad 
access  to  him  without  the  special  permission  of  the  mayor,  and  this 
was  given  very  unwillingly.  Lord  Kilmallock,  wlio  had  quartered  a 
troop  of  horse  within  the  liberties  by  his  Excellency's  order,  was  cast 
into  prison.  Unwilling  to  bear  such  affronts  any  longer,  he  went  to 
Loughrea,  in  the  county  of  Galway,  and  there  issued  his  re})ly  to  the 
demands  of  the  Commissioners  already  mentioned. 

Of  the  Parliamentary  army,  on  the  other  hand,  a  letter  from 
Cork  reported,  "  Our  foot  are  in  gallant  posture,  well  armed,  well 
clothed  ;  and  for  bread,  corn,  and  other  things,  by  the  State  plentifully 
provided  for.  The  army's  diligence,  courage,  thankfulness,  and  be- 
liavior  is  such,  through  the  strict  care  and  providence  of  our  General 
and  chief  officers,  that  never  did  men  obey  orders  more  cheerfully,  nor 
go  upon  all  duty  more  courageously ;  never  did  greater  iiarmoiiy 
appear,  or  resolution  to  prosecute  this  cause  of  God  than  in  this  army, 
such  a  consent  of  hearts  and  hands,  such  a  sympathy  of  affection  not 
only  in  a  carnal  but  spiritual  bond,  which  lies  faster  than  chains  of 
adamant.  I  have  often  observed,  especially  in  that  time  and  those 
actions,  a  wonderful  consent  of  the  officers  and  soldiers,  and  indeed 
of  all  the  parliamentary  forces,  upon  the  ground  of  doing  service  for 
God,  and  how  miraculously  they  were  in  all  their  actions  successful. 
The  mind  of  man  being  satisfied  and  fixed  upon  God,  and  that  his 
undertaking  is  for  God's  glory,  it  gives  the  greatest  courage  to  these 
men  and  prosperity  to  their  actions.  Our  musters  are  strict  ;  here  is 
no  free  quarter  allowed  or  practised  ;  either  they  pay  or  give  ticket, 
whicli  being  demanded  by  the  poorest  Irish  is  not,.durst  not  be  denied 
by  any  officer.  Our  horse  have  in  many  places  wanted  hay,  but  by 
the  supply  of  oats  from  England  have  made  good  shift  with  straw. 
We  have  7,000  horse,  and  our  foot  trebles  that  number,  yet  are  Eng- 
lish recruits  of  moneys  and  necessaries  to  be  continued." 


104  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

HEWSON    JOINS    CROMWELL. 

llewson  advances  from  Dublin  —  Takes  castles  in  Co.  Kildare  —  Siege  and  Surrender  of 
Ballysonan  —  Harristown,  Lea,  and  Dunamaise  taken  —  Massacre  at  Timahoe  —  Capture 
of  Castledermot — Surrender  of  Leiglilin — Castlehaven  takes  Athy — Rendezvous  at 
Gowran. 

Every  place  of  importance  was  now  subdued  except  Waterford, 
Limerick,  Clonmel,  Galway,  and  Kilkenny,  all  towns  of  considerable 
strength  and  needing  much  time  to  take.  Cromwell,  who  had  just 
captured  Cahir,  determined  to  make  a  more  formidable  demonstration 
against  Kilkenny.  But  fearing  that  he  had  not  a  sufficient  force  to 
carry  out  his  purpose,  he  despatched  orders  to  Colonel  Hewson, 
Governor  of  Dublin,  to  join  him  at  Gowran  with  all  the  troops  he 
could  draw  off  out  of  that  and  the  other  lesser  garrisons  on  the  way. 
Hewson  had  not  been  idle  during  the  winter.  He  had  made  frequent 
incursions  into  the  county  of  Kildare,  and  reduced  several  of  the 
strong  places  there  ;  by  this  means  he  had  kept  the  line  of  communi- 
cation with  the  capital  open,  and  rendered  his  advance  to  Kilkenny  a 
comparatively  easy  matter.  The  following  letter  gives  an  account  of 
these  excursions  ;  it  is  dated  Dublin,  January  loth. 

"I  sent  a  party  three  weeks  a.^o  to  quarter  at  the  Naas,  and  from  thence  to  take 
in  Ballysonan  or  the  Black  Ditch  '  by  surprise,  which  by  storm  was  unfeasible. 
The  latter  was  effected  upon  a  stormy  night,  a  place  that  twenty  men  might 
easily  keep  against  twenty  thousand.  I  have  placed  twenty-four  of  my  men  there 
i;n:Ier  Lieutenant  IMoore ;  and  the  same  party  took  Castlemartin,'^a  considerable  place. 
Also  last  week  I  marched  into  tiie  Island  of  Allen  ^  with  one  hundred  horse  and  six 
hundred  foot,  summoned  the  castle  of  Kilmore,'' but  found  it  unseasonable  to  take 
by  storm  without  artillery  ;  marched  over  at  Black  Ditch,  and  took  Rathdred  '  and 
Panser's  Grange."  two  garrisons  beyond  the  Liffey,  in  the  Co.  Kildare.  I  have 
placed  one  hundred  foot  and  twenty  horse  there;  and  as  soon  as  the  weather  will 
permit  artillery  to  march,  I  shall  be  ready  to  prosecute  what  is  begun  in  order  to  the 
reducement  of  the  Bog  of  Allen  and  the  county  of  Kildare. 


1  Probably  Nurney,  near  Black  Ditch,  4  miles  south  of  the  town  of  Kildare. 

''■  Castlemartin,  on  the  southern  bank  of  the  Liffey,  belonged  to  the  Fitz-Eustaces. 
Different  branches  of  this  family  were  ennobled,  having  the  titles  of  Portlester,  Harristown, 
and  Baltinglass.  Five  of  the  name  were  chancellors.  A  great  part  of  the  family  estates 
was  confiscated  in  consequence  of  James,  third  Viscount  Baltinglass,  having  taken  a  lead- 
ing part  in  the  rebellion  of  Gerald,  Earl  of  Desmond.     D'AIton's  Army  List,  vol.  ii.  p.  444. 

2  The  district  about  the  Hill  of  Allen,  being  then  entirely  surrounded  by  bogs  and 
marshes,  was  called  the  Island. 

^  Kilmeac;ue,  six  miles  north  of  Kildare. 

5  Rathbride,  three  miles  northeast  of  Kildare.  It  belonged  to  a  junior  branch  of 
the  Fitz'^era'ds. 

^  i.  e.,  Punch's  Grange,  five  miles  north  of  the  town  of  Kildare. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  1G5 

On  the  24th  of  February  Hevvson  marched  out  of  Dublin  with 
2,000  foot  and  1,000  horse,  and  two  small  field-pieces.  Among  his 
men  were  some  whom  Cromwell  had  left  behind  when  going  to  Wex- 
ford. The  next  day  he  reached  Naas,  which  had  been  fortified  a  year 
before  by  the  party  of  Owen  Roe  O'Neill.  The  day  following  he 
came  before  the  strong  fort  of  Ballysonan^  We  have  Hewson's  own 
despatch,  giving  full  details  of  the  siege  and  capture  of  this  important 
place  :  — 

"To  the  Honorable  William  Lenthal,  Esq.,  Speaker  of  the  Parliament  of  England. 

Sui, 

When  his  Excellency  marched  from  Dublin  towards  Munster,  he  left  me 
entrusted  with  the  garrison,  myself  and  those  left  with  me  at  that  time  being  sick. 
The  first  party  that  recovered  were  sent  after  the  army,  to  wit,  about  800  foot  and 
200  horse,  which  fought  and  beat  the  enemy  upon  their  march.  Some  more  of  those 
sick  men  that  were  left  recovering,  and  some  recruits  coming  over,  after  I  had  sur- 
)>rised  the  strong  fort  ujion  tlie  IJogof  Allen  and  taken  Castlemartin,  in  the  county  of 
Kildare,  and  placed  agarrison  therein,  about  the  latter  end  of  December,  marched  with 
a  party  of  1,000  horse  and  foot  into  the  Island  of  Allen,  and  summoned  Kilmagog 
therein  ;  but  finding  it  not  feasible  to  storm  without  guns,  I  marched  to  Rathbride 
and  Ponser's  Grange,  and  took  them,  and  placed  two  strong  garrisons  there,  which 
did  give  me  good  footing  in  the  county  of  Kildare.  Then  sent  a  party  and  took 
Kildare,  Hertvvell,'' and  Cotlingstowne,^  three  useful  garrisons  in  the  said  county; 
and  provisions  being  spent,  returned  back  to  Duljlin,  there  endeavoring  to  get 
guns,  mortar-pieces,  and  other  necessaries,  ready  to  draw  forth  again  with  all  possible 
speed.  In  the  interim  I  received  propositions  from  the  governor  and  officers  in  the 
strong  garrison  and  fort  of  Ballysonan,  the  original  whereof  I  here  enclosed  present 
you  withal  under  their  own  hands. 

"Which  being  by  me  utterly  rejected,  I  marched  upon  Tuesday,  the  26th  of 
February,  with  a  party  of  2,000  foot  and  1,000  horse,  towards  the  county  of  Kildare, 
and  took  with  me  one  culverin,  and  one  demi-culverin,  and  one  mortar-piece.  The 
enemy  fired  tiieir  garrison  of  Lease, ^  lUackreath,'*  and  the  forementioned  Kilmagog, 
in  the  Island  of  Allen;  but  I  shall  easily  make  it  tenable  again,  it  being  very  useful 
for  your  service.  They  did  also  blow  up  the  castle  of  Athy,  where  they  had  a  strong 
garrison,  and  broke  up  the  bridge, 

"  Upon  the  28th  February  I  marched  from  the  Naas,  and  about  foiu-  o'clock 
with  the  van  of  the  party,  I  came  to  Peliisonan,  a  stronggarrison,  double  works,  and 
double-moated,  full  of  water,  one  within  another,  and  a  mount  with  a  fort  upon  it. 
Most  of  the  officers  with  me  esteeming  the  taking  of  it  to  be  unfeasible,  it  being 
late,  and  I  unwilling  to  lose  time,  did  send  in  a  summons,  a  copy  whereof  is  here 
enclosed,  and  the  enclosed  answer  under  the  Governor's  hand,  was  presently  re- 
turned, and  the  town,  which  was  without  his  works,  by  him  burned  that  night.      I 


1  Now  IJallyshannon,  four  miles  south-west  of  Kilcullenbriclge.  It  belonged  at  this 
time  to  Pierce  Fitzgerald,  descended  from  the  Kildare  family.  lie  look  a  leading  part  in 
the  Catholic  Confederation.  He  was  Colonel  of  a  regiment,  and  later  bcrgeant-major  of  the 
Feinster  horse.  See  JVie  Earls  of  Kildare^  by  the  Mar(|uis  of  Kildare,  p.  257  ;  Dublin, 
1864.  In  1642  he  was  declared  a  rebel  and  an  outlaw  by  the  Fords  Justices;  any  one  bring- 
ing in  his  head  would  receive  a  reward  of  ;^400  Porlase's  Rebi-llion,  Appendix,  p.  31. 
ballysonan  castle  was  pulled  down  a  few  years  ago  by  the  Annesly  family,  to  build  a  castel- 
lated mansion  close  by. 

^  Rev.  J.  Graves  says  Hertwell  still  exhibits  the  remains  of  a  strong  fortress  ;  but  he 
does  not  give  its  site. 

3  Now  Cotlandstown,  in  the  barony  of  Naas,  between  Kilcullenbriclge  and  I!allymore 
Eustace. 

*  Maryborough,  in  the  Queen's  County,  where  the  castle  is  still  standing. 

^  Blackrath,  on  the  old  coach-road  between  old  Kilcullen  and  Castledermot,  five  miles 
south  of  Kilcullen. 


1G6 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


caused  a  battery  to  be  made,  and  planted  the  artillery,  and  made  a  fort  for  the 
security  thereof,  having  intelligence  that  the  Lord  of  Castlehaven,  with  4,000  horse 
and  foot,  would  come  to  raise  me  within  two  days,  in  which  fort  I  could  secure  the 
guns  and  batter  their  works,  whilst  I  drew  off  to  fight  the  enemy,  if  need  were.  We 
played  our  guns  and  mortar-piece  at  the  fort  upon  the  mount,  intending  before  night 
to  storm  it,  having  ladders  and  all  the  necessaries  ready.  But  before  any  breach 
was  made,  the  Governor  did  send  me  a  paper,  which  is  here  enclosed,  whereunto  the 
enclosed  answer  was  returned,  and  he  treated  with  me  about  the  surrender,  which 
was  concluded  accordingly.  The  Articles  signed  with  both  our  hands  herewith  is 
represented  unto  you. 

"  And  now,  sir,  you  have  without  the  loss  of  one  man  this  strong  place,  and 
thereby  most  of  the  county  of  Kildare.  Those  garrisons  in  this  county  yet  remain- 
ing, as  Castle  Dormount  '  and  Kilkenny,  with  others,  I  hope  you  shall  have  a  good 
account  thereof  speedily  from 

"  Your  humble  servant, 

"JoH.  Hewson. 

'■'■  Bally  so  nan,  March  yd,  1650." 

[enclosures.] 
Sir. 

I  am  now  marching  the  army  to  reduce  the  place  you  possess  unto  the 
obedience  of  the  Parliament  of  England,  and  it  being  apparent  to  the  world  that 
God  is  making  inquisition  in  Ireland  for  innocent  blood,  how  fa^  you  and  those  with 
you  may  be  concerned  therein,  I  shall  observe  by  your  answer  hereunto. 

These  are  to  require  you  to  deliver  the  place  that  you  now  possess  unto  me  for 
the  end  aforesaid  ;  whatsoever  your  return  hereunto  may  be,  and  the  effect  thereof, 
my  summons  will  justify  the  future  proceedings  of 

Your  servant, 
28M  Feb.,  1650.  J.  Hewson. 

For  the  Governor  of  Bellisonan. 
Sir, 

I  am  now  in  possession  in  this  place  by  authority  from  my  King;  how 
you  may  demand  it  by  authority  from  the  Parliament  of  England  I  know  not. 
England  denying  their  King,  therefore  your  power  I  disobey.  And  for  God,  my 
King,  and  country,  will  defend  this  place  to  the  uttermost  of  my  power. 

Sir,  your  servant, 
2S/A  Fel).,  1650.  DoNNO  Kelly. 

For  Colonel  Hewson,  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Parliamentary  Party  now 
in  the  field  of  Ballysonan. 

Propositions  made  by  the  Garrison,  which  were  rejected. 

We  do  hereby  employ  Governor  Donno  O'Kelly  for  the  delivery  of  the  here- 
under propositions  to  the  General  of  the  Parliament's  forces  in  Ireland  :  — 

Imprimis.  That  the  party  commanding  this  garrison  and  fort  of  Ballysonan,  and 
b11  other  that  will  adhere  to  them,  are  really  and  willingly  to  join  to  the  Parliament 
forces,  upon  such  terms  as  are  hereunder  written. 

2d.  That  a  colonel,  lieutenant-colonel,  and  a  major,  besides  captains  and 
under-ofFicers,  be  employed  of  the  said  i)arty  constantly  in  the  standing  army  of  the 
Parliament's  forces  in  this  kingdom. 

1  Castledermot,  called  in  ancient  times  Diseart  Dhiarmuda  and  Tristle  Dermot.  a 
walled  town,  seven  miles  south-east  of  Atliy.  It  was  the  chief  residence  of  the  O'Tooles. 
After  the  Knglish  invasion  it  was  held  by  do  Kiddlcsford,  who  erected  the  castle  and  a  monas- 
tary  for  Crouched  Friars,  the  toWcr  of  which  is  still  standing  close  to  the  town.  '  In  1302  a 
Franciscan  monastery  was  founded  here  by  Thomas  Lord  Offaly.  Parliaments  were  held 
here  at  different  times. 


CROMWELL   7.V  IRELAyD. 


Vol 


'>,([.  That  in  case  any  such  officers  do  come  in,  that  they  may  iiave  free  liberty 
of  tlieir  religion,  and  two  priests  admitted  and  employed  for  to  serve  the  said  regi- 
ment now  intended. 

4lh.  That  neither  Taaffe  nor  Dillon  shall  be  accepted  of  in  the  parliament's 
party. 

5th.  That  their  estates,  wrongfully  detained  and  enjoyed  by  the  said  Dillon, 
Browne,  and  Taaffe,  may  be  allowed  unto  them  by  the  State  of  Parliament. 

6fh.  That  their  arrears  sinre  May  last  may  be  allowed  to  them.  This  and 
aforesaid  jiropositions  may  be  granted  by  the  (jeneral,  Lieutenant-tieneral,  Major 
(■eneral,  and  Commissioners-(ieneral  of  the  Parliament  forces  of  this  kingdom,  that 
what  those  countries  assigned  to  them  for  their  pay  are  in  arrear  since  their  coming 
to  Pallysonan,  may  be  forthwith  caused  to  be  paid. 

7th.  That  this  granted,  they  shall  obey  any  deriving  power  from  the  State  of 
Parliament. 

J.  Gordon,    Connor  Kellv, 
Ch.  Kellv,    M.  Donnogh. 

Colonel  Hcwsoti's  last  s2iininons. 
Sir, 

Blood  I  do  not  thirst  after  ;  yet  so  far  a  soldier  as  not  to  neglect  present 
opportunity,  I  shall,  for  the  end  in  your  letter  mentioned,  send  Captain  Ilewson, 
according  to  your  desire,  provided  you  send  one  or  two  fully  authorized  to  treat  and 
conclude,  and  all  to  be  concluded  within  half  an  hour,  provided  also  you  do  not  work 
at  all  to  repair  what  my  guns  and  mortar-pieces  have  demolished  ;  and  to  that  end 
that  Captain  Hewson  may  remain  in  the  Mount  during  that  half-hour.  Sir,  I  shall 
be  glad  if  your  wisdom  prevent  what  otherwise  unavoidably  will  fall  out,  though  not 
desired  by 

Your  servant, 

March  \st,  1650.  J.  Hewson. 

Sir, 

To  avoid  the  confusion  of  Christian  blood,  we  sent  out  a  drum  to  demand 
a  parley.  My  desire,  for  the  reasons  aforesaid,  is  that  you  send  in  a  captain  of  yours 
to  treat  with  us,  and  we  will  send  forth  a  captain  of  ours,  who  shall  demand  no  more 
but  what  is  honorable  and  jtist ;  and  so,  sir,  I  conclude, 

Your  servant, 

DoNNO  Kelly. 
Jifarch  \st,  1650. 

Articles  agreed  npoji  bct^veen  the  Hon.  Colonel  John  Hewson  of  the  one  part,  and 
Captain  Donnogh  Kelly,  Governor  of  Ballysonatt,  in  the  connty  of  Kildare,  on 
the  other  part,  \  si  March,  1650.  . 

Imprimis.  That  the  said  garrison  and  fort  of  Ballysonan  shall  be  immediately 
delivered,  with  all  the  ammunition  and  provisions  therein,  except  as  in  the.  ensuing 
article  is  agreed  upon. 

2d.  'i'hat  the  said  Governor,  officers,  and  soldiers  shall  continue  in  the  castle 
until  to-morrow  morning  at  ten  of  the  clock,  if  they  please  ;  and  then  they  are  to 
march  out  of  the  said  castle  and  fort  with  a  trumpeter  for  convov  ten  miles,  if  they 
desire  it.  and  to  any  of  the  next  Irish  garrisons  within  ten  miles,  as  aforesaid,  the 
trumpeter  returning  without  any  prejudice.  And  the  said  officers  are  to  march  with 
their  horses  and  pistols,  and  with  their  colors  flying  and  drums  beating,  and  the 
soldiers  with  their  arms  and  matches  lighted,  and  each  musketeer  one  pound  of 
powder  with  bullet  and  match  proportionable. 

.  3d.     Whatsoever    oats    and    pease    shall   appear   in    the   castle    belonging    to 
Mis[tress]  Fitzgerald  shall  be  restored  to  her. 

And  lastly,  for  the  due  performance  of  the  aforesaid  articles,  we  do  hereunto 
set  our  hands  the  day  and  year  first  above  written. 

John  Hewson, 
Donno  Kelly. 


168  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


The  taking  of  Ballysonan  had  a  most  important  effect  on  the 
campaign.  "  In  Leinster,"  says  Carte,  "there  was  scarce  a  castle  or 
strong  house  wliich  the  husband  or  wife  were  not  for  giving  up  and 
receiving  conditions  from  the  enemy.  Thus  Ballysonan  and  other 
castles  were  delivered  up  to  Hewson,  who  was  thereby  enabled  to 
march  with  a  party  from  Dublin  into  the  county  of  Kilkenny.  .  ,  . 
These  successes  encouraged  Cromwell  to  lay  seige  to  Kilkenny." 

From  Ballysonan  Hewson  took  the  road  to  Caslledermot. 
Diverging  somewhat  from  the  straight  road,  he  took  Harristovvn, 
lying  between  Naas  and  Kilcullenbridge.  Then  Lea,  near  Portar- 
lington,  was  dismantled.  The  confused  masses  of  towers  and  broken 
arches  show  the  merciless  havoc  then  made.  Dunamaise  ^  was  next 
taken  and  blown  up.  Tradition  points  out  the  site  of  the  old  corn- 
mill,  at  the  corner  of  the  mill-fiekl,  as  the  s})ot  where  the  battery  was 
erected.  The  monastery  of  Timahoe  was  seized,  and  the  friars  found 
there  massacred.  The  place  where  they  were  put  to  death  is  still 
called  "the  road  of  murder."  ^  When  he  reached  Castledermot  he 
found  his  provisions  exhausted,  and  was  obliged  to  return  to  Dublin. 

After  three  days'  rest,  he  set  out  again  for  Castledermot  and 
Kilkea,^  taking  with  him  provisions  for  fourteen  days.  When  he  came 
before  the  former  place,  he  found  that  the  enemy  had  burnt  down  a 
great  part  of  the  town,  pulled  down  the  walls,  and  betaken  themselves 
to  a  strong  tower.  He  caused  a  great  quantity  of  straw  and  other 
combustible  materials  to  be  put  to  the  door  an  1  set  on  fire,  which 
forced  those  within  to  cry  out  for  mercy.  In  the  tower  were  taken 
Captain  Shirlock,  "a  bloody  Tory,""*  three  friars,  and  divers  others. 
Shirlock  had  received  a  shot  through  the  breast  with  a  brace  of 
bullets  before  he  yielded.  Shirlock  and  the  friars  were  taken  prison- 
ers ;  the  others  were  saved  or  executed  as  was  thought  fit. 

Lord  Castlehaven,  who  a  short  time  before  had  been  appointed  to 
the  chief  command  in  the  province  of  Leinster,  was  ordered  by 
Ormonde  to  take  the  field.  After  providing  as  best  he  could  for  the 
safety  of  Kilkenny,  he  set  out  for  Carlow,  hoping  to  meet  there  the 
troops   he  had  ordered   to   assemble  from  all  parts  of   the  province. 


1  Dunamaise  was  the  residence  of  the  chief  of  the  O'Mores  before  the  English  invasion. 
In  1325  it  was  retaken  by  Lysagh  O'More.  For  the  next  two  centuries  it  changed  hands 
frequently.  Some  parts  of  the  castle  and  walls  are  still  standing.  See  T/u  Irish  Fumy 
Alii'^azine,  p.  iS. 

*  Notes  oil  Irish  Architecture,  by  the  Earl  of  Dunraven,  vol.  ii.  p.  -53;  London,  1875. 
From  the  Ordnance  Survey  letters,  (^>ueen's  County.  Timahoe,  i.  c.,  Teach  Mochoe,  St, 
M(jchua's  house.  A  round  tower  antl  an  ancient  door-way  of  singular  beauty  are  still  re 
maiiiing.     It  is  four  miles  south-we^t  of  Stradbally. 

8  Kilkea  castle  is  two  miles  nonh-west  of  Athy.  It  was  built  in  1180  by  Walter  l^e 
Lacy;  the  greater  part  of  the  present  birtlding  tlates  from  1426.  It  jjassed  into  the  hands 
of  the  Fitzgerald  family  by  the  marriage  of  ^laurice,  third  IJaron  of  Offaiy,  with  Emelina, 
daughter  of  Sir  Stephen  de  Longespee  by  his  niarji.ige  with  ihe  only  daughter  and  heire^s 
of  Walter  de  Riddlesford,  15aron  of  lirav,  to  whom  O'Murthy,  in  which  Kilke:.  and  Castle 
dermot  are  situated,  was  grantcci  by  King  John.  See  The  Earls  of  Kildare.  by  the  Marquis 
of  Kildare,  p.  17.  In  1634  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  the  second  Lord  Delvin  and  widow  of 
Gerald,  fourteenth  Earl  of  Kildare,  bequeathed  Kilkea  to  her  cousin,  Father  Nugent,  S.  J., 
for  a  novitiate  of  the  order.  Riiiuccini  and  liis  suit  were  entertained  there  for  twenty  days, 
when  he  was  o-i  his  way  to  besiege  Dublin. 

■*  Borlase  s.iys  Captain  Shirlock  was  the  head  of  the  Waterford  rebels  in  1642. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  ]C9 

Lord  Dillon's  division  of  3,000  men  did  not  conic.  Castlchaven  put 
himself  at  the  head  of  a  force  of  3,000  men,  800  from  Leinster,  an 
Ulster  regiment,  and  Sir  Thomas  Armstrong's  and  Ormonde's  horse. 
But  not  finding  his  numbers  at  all  equal  to  those  of  the  enemy,  he 
could  do  no  more  than  watch  their  movements. 

"  I'poii  my  march,"  says  Ilewson,  "  I  received  a  letter  from  my  Lord  President 
of  Munster  to  haste  up  and  join  unto  Colonel  Reynolds  near  Lei'ghlinbridge,  and 
either  to  take  in  some  passage  over  the  I5arrow  or  prosecute  Castleliaven.  The 
latter  was  prevented  by  the  enemy's  withdrawal.  Tlie  former  (to  wit,  Leighlin- 
bridge)  I  attempted,  and  I  obtained  it  without  the  loss  of  one  man.  The  Articles  on 
surrender  thereof  is  herewith  presented  to  you.  This  garrison  gave  a  pass  over  the 
Barrow,  and  indeed  the  benefit  you  have  thereby  is  very  great,  and  the  time  about  the 
taking  of  it  was  one  day.  When  I  came  hither,  my  Lord  President  was  gone  back 
to  my  Lord-Lieutenant  about  Thomastown,  whither  I  despatched  a  letter  to  his 
Excellency,  intimating  the  taking  of  Leighlinbridge  and  my  purpose  to  march  towards 
him  next  morning  and  to  stay  at  Gowran,  except  I  received  other  command  from  his 
Excellency,  after  I  had  settled  the  garrison  of  Leighlinbridge,  where  I  found  800 
bushels  of  corn  and  200  arms." 

Articles  agreed  on.,  between  the  Honorable  John  liewson,  Governor  0/  Dublin,  of  the 
one  party,  and  JJeut.  Laurence  Dcmpsey  and  Lieut.  William  Drcreton,  Com- 
missioners appointed  and  authorised  by  Captain  Pierey  Brercton,  Commander 
of  tlie  Castle  and  Garrison  of  Leighlinbridge,  for  the  surrendering  of  the  said 
Castle  and  Garrison  of  Leighlinbridge,'^  of  the  other  party,  this  \()th  of 
A  f arch,  1650. 

1.  The  said  Captain  Brereton  is  to  deliver  the  castle  and  garrison^of  Leighlin- 
bridge unto  the  Honorable  Colonel  John  Ilewson  for  the  use  of  the  Parliament  of 
England  by  three  of  the  clock  this  afternoon,  and  all  ammunition  and  provisions 
therein,  without  any  embezzlement,  except  what  is  hereafter  excepted. 

2.  The  said  Captain  Brereton,  with  all  the  officers  and  soldiers  witiiin  the  said 
garrison,  are  to  march  away  with  their  arms,  muskets  laden,  bandoleers  filled,  drums 
beating,  and  matches  lighted,  and  bag  and  baggage  which  is  to  them  belonging, 
which  they  can  carry  away  on  their  backs. 

3.  The  said  Ca])tain  pjrercton,  with  all  the  officers  and  soldiers  within  the  said 
garrison,  shall  have  free  liberty  to  march  to  Kilkenny,  and  shall  have  a  sale-conduct 
to  that  effect. 

4.  The  full  benefit  of  the  aforesaid  articles  is  to  extend  to  all  and  every  the 
officers  and  soldiers  in  the  said  garrison  without  exception. 

Lastly,  for  the  full  performance  of  all  and  singular  the  premises,  the  parties 
hereunto  have  to  these  presents  interchangeably  put  their  hands  the  day  and  year 
first  above  written. 

J.    IIeWSON,  LAUr<ENCE   Demt'sky, 

Will.  Bi^ereton. 
Confirmed  by  Pierce  Brereton. 

^  This  bridge  was  built  by  Maurice  Jakes,  canon  of  Kildare,  in  1320.  See  Ware's  An- 
nals, ad  anil.  It  was  for  a  long  time  the  only  passage  over  ihe  Barrow  to  tiic  south.  In 
"A  Note  for  the  Winning  of  Leinster,"  A.  D.  1536,  the  (J'Tooles,  IJyrncs,  and  Kavanaghs 
are  said  to  have  exiled  the  King's  law  from  Munster  by  preventing  the  judges  from  riding 
circuit  past  Leighlinbridge.  See  State  Papers,  Henry  VI H.  (Ireland),  vol.  i.  p.  411  ;  Lon- 
don, 1825.  Hence  the  byword  used  by  the  Irish,  "  tlicy  dwelt  by  we^it  the  law,  which 
dwelt  beyond  the  river  Barrow."  Irue  Causes  IV/ty  Ireland  IVai  A'e7>er  Siibditcd,  by  Sir 
John  Davis,  p.  50  ;  Dublin,  T704.  Aliout  1250  a  Carmelite  monastery  was  founded  here 
l)y  one  of  the  Carcws  ;  it  stood  near  the  Blacic  Castle,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  river. 
iXrchdall's  Afoitastiton,  p.  38.  In  consideration  of  the  great  labor,  burthen,  and  expense 
wliich  the  friars  of  Lciglilin  did  sustain  in  supporting  their  house  and  the  bridge  contiguous 
thereunto  against  the  King's  enemies,  Richard  II.  gave  them  an  annual  pension  of  80  marks. 
R)zn's  //istory  of  Carlo7a,  ]i.  S4  ;   Dublin,  1S33. 


170  CROMWELL   7.V  IRELAND. 

Castlehavcn  succeeded  in  taking  Athy  by  storm,  where  Hew^on 
had  a  magazine.  The  garrison,  700  in  number,  were  taken  prisoners 
at  discretion.  "  Not  knowing  what  to  do  with  my  prisoners,"  says 
Castlehaven,  "  I  made  a  present  of  them  to  Cromwell,  desiring  him  by 
letter  to  do  the  like  to  me,  if  any  of  mine  should  fall  into  his  power. 
But  he  little  valued  my  civility,  for  he  caused  Hammond,  with  some 
English  officers,  to  be  shot  to  death." 

Cromwell  and  Ireton  met  at  Thomastown. 

"Ourmen,"says  Crom\veIl,"attempting  to  take  the  town,  the  enemy  made  no  great 
resistance ;  but  by  the  advantage  of  the  bridge  quitted  the  town,  and  fled  to  a  castle 
about  half  a  mile  distant  off,'  which  they  had  formerly  possessed.  That  night  tlie 
President  of  Munster  and  myself  came  up  to  the  party.  We  summoned  the  castle, 
and  after  two  days  it  was  surrendered  to  us,  the  enemy  leaving  their  arms,  drums, 
colors,  and  ammunition  behind  them,  and  engaging  never  to  bear  arms  more  against 
the  Parliament  of  England." 

Cromwell  remained  at  Thomastown  for  three  days.  He  sent 
Ireton  back  to  Fetbard  to  bring  up  some  large  guns,  which  were 
wanted  for  the  attack  on  Granny  and  some  other  castles  thereabouts, 
for  the  better  blocking  up  of  Waterford.  The  general  rendezvous  was 
Gowran.^  seven  miles  south-east  of  Kilkenny. 

"  We  met,"  continues  Cromwell,  "  near  by  Gowran,  a  populous  town,  where  the 
enemy  had  a  very  strong  castle,^  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Hammond,  a 
Kentish  man,  who  was  a  principal  actor  in  the  Kentish  insurrection  and  did  manage 
the  Lord  Capel's  business  at  his  trial.*  I  sent  him  a  civil  invitation  to  deliver  up 
the  castle  unto  me,  to  which  he  returned  to  me  a  very  resolute  answer  and  full  of 
height.  We  planted  our  artillery,  and  before  we  had  made  a  breach  considerable, 
the  enemy  beat  a  parley  for  a  treaty,  which  I,  having  offered  so  fairly  to  him,  refused  ; 
but  sent  him  in  positive  conditions  that  the  soldiers  should  have  their  lives,  and  the 
commissioned  officers  to  be  disposed  of  as  should  be  thought  fit,  which  in  tlic  end 
was  submitted  to. 

"The  next  day  the  colonel,  the  major,  and  the  rest  of  commissioned  officers, 
were  shot  to  death,  all  but  one,  who  being  a  very  earnest  instrument  to  have  the 
castle  delivered,  was  pardoned.  In  the  same  castle  also  we  took  a  Popish  priest, 
who  was  chaplain  to  the  Catholics  in  this  regiment,  who  was  caused  to  be  hanged.* 
I  trouble  you  with  this  the  rather  because  the  regiment  was  the  Lord  of  Ormonde's 
own  regiment.     In  this  castle  vras  a  good  store  of  provisions  for  the  army." 

1  Probably  Grenan  castle  ;  this  is  still  standing. 

2  In  1414  a  grant  of  tolls  was  made  to  Ballygaveran  for  40  years,  to  enable  the  burg- 
esses to  pave  and  wall  tlie  town,  whicli  liad  been  lately  burned  ami  the  lieges  there  destroyed 
by  the  Irish  enemy,  by  whom  it  was  surrounded,  and  who  threatened  to  do  it  again. 

2  Gowran  cattle  was  built  by  James,  third  Earl  of  Ormonde,  in  1392.  It  was  his  chief 
residence  after  he  was  driven  from  Nenagh  by  the  O'Kennedys,  who  rooted  out  all  the 
English  Gentlemen  and  freeholders  that  dwelt  in  Ormonde,  and  razed  the  town  of  Nenagh, 
except  the  castle.  MSS.  in  Kilkenny  castle,  quoted  in  Kilk.  Arch.  Journal,  vol.  i.  p.  392. 
Gowran  castle  was  rebuilt  by  Margaret,  the  great  Countess  of  Ormonde,  about  1500  Arch- 
dall's  Peerage,  vol.  iv.  p.  21.  No  trace  remains  of  it  now;  it  was  razed  to  the  ground 
within  the  present  century  by  the  Viscount  Clifden  of  the  day.  It  was  outside  the  town- 
wall,  near  where  Clifden  House  now  stands. 

*  Lord  Capel  was  executed  in  March,  1649.  An  account  of  his  trial  is  given  in  Clar- 
endon's History  of  the  Rebellion,  vol.  iii.  p.  272. 

^  The  common  soldiers  delivered  up  their  officers  that  they  might  have  quarter  them 
selves,  viz.,  Colonel  Hammond,  Major  Townley,  two  captains.  Lieutenant  Donnella.  a 
quartermaster,  and  a  Popish  priest  ;  all  which  officers  were  shot  to  death  the  next  day,  save 
only  the  lieutenant,  who  was  spared  because  he  complied  with  the  soldiers  fur  delivering  up 
their  officers  ;  and  the  priest  was  hanged. 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  171 


CROMWELL  LN  IRELAND. 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE    SIEGE    OF    KILKENNY. 

Cromwell  returns  to  Cashel  —  Tickle's  Treachery — The  Garrison  of  Kilkenny  —  The 
Plague  —  Castel  Hovvel — Summons  to  Surrender  —  The  Batteries  —  Capture  of  be. 
Canice's  and  of  the  Irishtown — Repulse  at  the  Breach  —  The  Mayor's  Letter  — 
Proposals  of  the  Governor  —  Cromwell's  Answer  —  Breach  in  the  Wall —  Surrender  — 
The  Articles —  Want  of  Supplies. 

Our  readers  will  remember  that  after  the  capture  of  Cashel 
Cromwell  marched  on  Kilkenny,^  and  that  when  he  had  got  within  a 
few  miles  of  the  city,  he  returned  once  more  to  Cashel  and  fixed  his 
headquarters  there.  The  causes  of  his  hurried  retreat  were  these. 
Ha  had  advanced  on  Kilkenny  without  any  of  the  materials  necessary 
for  a  siege,  relying  on  the  promises  of  Tickle,  an  officer  of  the  garri- 
son, whom  he  had  gained  over,  to  secure  a-  gate  or  two  of  the  city  and 
to  betray  the  Lord  Lieutenant  (Ormonde)  and  some  others  whom  he 
should  think  fit.  "If  your  Excellency,"  wrote  Tickle  to  him,  "will 
draw  before  this  town,  I  shall  send  a  messenger  unto  you  upon  your 
first  approach,  and  shall  give  you  an  account  of  the  weakest  part  of 
the  town  and  the  force  within  exactly,  and  what  else  I  shall  find,  or 
you  may  direct  me  to  be  most  necessary  for  you."^  Some  of  Tickle's 
letters  were  intercepted,  and  though  written  in  cipher,  fully  revealed 
his  treachery.  The  plot  was  thus  discovered  in  time,  and  the  traitor 
executed.  Ormonde,  too,  who  had  established  his  headquarters  in 
Kilkenny  during  the  winter,  hearing  of  the  rapid  approach  of  the 
Puritan  army,  got  together  about  700  foot  and  100  horse  ;  with  these 
and  some  of  the  townsmen,  who  seemed  eager  to  aid  him,  he  pre- 
sented such  a  formidable  appearance,  that  Cromwell  thought  it  wiser 
to  retire  and  wait  for  the  arrival  of  the  other  corps  which  he  had 
ordered  to  come  to  his  assistance.  Ormonde  was  well  aware  that  the 
advance  would  not  be  long  delayed  ;  he  prepared  for  the  attack  by 
stengthening  the  defences  as  well  as  circumstances  would  permit. 
Giving  the  chief  command  of  Leinster  to  Lord  Castlehaven,  he  went 
to  Clare  with  the  Commissioners  of  Trust,  to  raise  an  army  there  and 
in  the  adjoining  counties,  that  would  offer  some  resistance  to  Crom- 
well's progress.  Castlehaven  appointed  James  Walsh  gf  ernor  of  the 
castle,  and  Sir  Walter  Butler  governor  of  the  city. 

^  "  Kilkenny,  the  =cat  of  the  Supreme  Council,  the  springhead  of  an  execrable  rebel- 
lion, the  centre  from  which  all  the  treasons  and  danmable  counsels  against  the  king,  country, 
and  religion  were  so  many  lines  drawn." 

2  Car^e  MSS.,  vol.  xxvi.  The  bribe  offered  to  him  was  ^"4,000,  a  high  command  in 
Cromwell's  army,  and  the  governorship  of  Kilkenny:  a  fact  beyond  all  doubt,  since  Tickle 
confessed  it. 


172  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 

Yet  in  spite  of  the  measures  taken  for  its  safety,  Kilkenny  was 
but  ill  fitted  to  resist  the  attack  of  a  well-disciplined  army,  or  to  sus- 
tain the  hardships  of  a  siege.  A  plague,  which  had  appeared  a  few 
months  before  in  Galway  —  brought,  it  was  said,  by  a  Spanish  ship 
that  had  put  in  there  —  and  had  spread  with  amazing  rapidity  through- 
out the  country,  was  then  raging  within  the  walls.  "A  small  party 
of  ours,"  says  a  Cromwellian  soldier,  "  by  way  of  affront,  went  to  the 
gates  of  Kilkenny  to  ask  who  was  there  ;  where  they  learned,  since 
the  plague  of  the  Supreme  Council  was  gone,  that  the  sickaess  supplied 
their  room.  And  truly  it  is  so  briskly  there,  that  what  is  their  dan- 
ger is  their  security,  and  what  fortifies  besieges  them.  So  that  his 
Excellency,  thinking  he  ought  not  to  meddle  with  what  the  Lord 
has  so  visibly  taken  into  his  hands,  has  declined  taking  Kilkenny  into 
his  o\vn."i  Castlehaven  had  sent  a  force  of  i,ooo  foot  and  200 
horse  to  garrison  the  city.  In  a  short  time  their  number  was  so  re- 
duced by  disease  that  their  effective  strength  did  not  exceed  300 
men.^  He  had  ordered  Lord  Dillon,  with  the  forces  under  his  com- 
mand, amounting  to  2,500  foot  and  600  horse,  to  meet  him  at  Carlow, 
that  they  might  combine  and  march  towards  Kilkenny.  Lord  Dillon's 
men  refused  to  go  to  the  aid  of  the  doomed  city ;  they  marched  away 
to  their  own  country,  declaring  that  they  were  ready  to  fight  against 
men  but  not  against  God.  Sir  Walter  Butler  urged  the  garrison  of 
Cantwell  Castle^  to  abandon  that  place  and  to  come  in  all  haste  to 
his  aid.  But  the  officers,  being  English,  Welsh,  and  Scotch,  sent 
some  of  their  number  to  Cromwell,  offering  him  possession  of  the 
castle,  and  asking  money  and  passes  to  go  beyond  the  sea  to  serve  in 
the  armies  of  foreign  states.  He  accepted  their  terms,  **  on  condition 
that  they  should  do  nothing  to  the  prejudice  of  the  Parliament  of 
England." 

From  Gowran  Cromwell  and  his  army  advanced  on  Kilkenny  by 
Bennett's  bridge.  On  the  way  he  took  Castle  Hovvel,  between  Bally- 
hale  and  Castlemorris,  belonging  to  the  Walshes.  Some  of  the 
family  had  taken  up  arms  in  self-defence  ;  a  detachment  was  sent 
against  them,  which  totally  defeated  them.  The  inhabitants  of  the 
castle  were  all  slaughtered  ;  their  bodies  were  thrown  into  a  hole  at 
the  foot  of  the  hill  on  which  the  castle  stood.'* 

He  approached  the  city  by  the  old  road  still  known  by  the  name 
of  Boher  na  thoundish.^     He   halted  about  a  mile  outside  the  city, 

1  Irish  Penny  A/ai^azinf,  \).  114.  Borlase  says  17,0x30  persons  died  of  it  during  the 
summer  of  1650  in  Dublin.  Kdbellion,  p.  2S2.  During  tiie  three  years  it  lasted,  it  is  reck- 
oned that  30,000  perished  of  it  in  that  city  alone.  See  O'Connell's  Memoir  of  Inland,'^. 
329,     It  abated  in  the  winter  of  1651. 

^  Cox  says  the  garrison  consisted  of  600  foot  and  50  horse. 

3  Now  Sandfort's  Court,  near  Kilkenny. 

*  A  large  quantity  of  bones  was  found  there  about  the  end  of  last  century,  when  the 
road  was  making. from  Castlemorris  to  Kilmaganny.  See  Tighe's  Surdey  of  Kilkenny,  p. 
334,  and  Kilk.  Arch.  Journal  for  18S1,  p.  3S0. 

o  The  Road  of  the  Infirm  or  Aged.  The  old  road  ran  parallel  with  the  city  wall.  The 
present  Upper  Patrick  Street  is  a  modern  entrance,  at  which  the  ancient  road  was  turned 
from  its  original  course  and  led  into  the  High  Town  through  St.  Patrick's  gate,  the  direct 
continuation  of  the  old  way  being  through  New  Street,  Flood  Street,  and  Blackmill  Street. 
Kilk.  Arch.  Journal  for  186 1,  p.  366. 


CROMWELL   IX  IRELAND.  173 

near  the  Black  Quarry,  and  planted  his  guns  on  a  neighboring  hill, 
still  known  by  the  name  of  "Cromwell's  Hill."^  From  there  he  sent 
forwn.rd  a  troop  of  cavalry  to  rcconnoiter  the  defences. 

On  Friday,  March  22d,  he  appeared  at  the  head  of  his  army 
before  the  walls.      In  the  evening  he  sent  the  following  summons  :  — 

(i.)     To  the  Governor,  Mayor,  and  Aldermen  of  the  City  of  Kilkenny. 

These : 

Before  Kilkenny,  zzd  lifarch,  1650. 
Genti.hmkn, 

My  ecming  hither  is  to  endeavor,  if  God  so  please  to  bless  me,  the  reduc- 
tion of  the  city  of  Kilkenny  to  tlicir  obedience  to  the  State  of  England,  from  which, 
by  an  unheard-of  massacre  of  the  innocent  English,  you  have  endeavored  to  rend 
yourselves;  and  as  (iod  liatii  begun  to  judge  you  with  flis  sore  plagues,  so  will  He 
follow  you  until  He  hath  destroyed  you  if  you  repent  not.  Your  cause  hath  been 
already  judged  in  England  upon  them  who  did  abet  your  evils  ;  what  may  the  princi- 
pals then  expect? 

15y  this  free  dealing  you  see  I  entice  you  not  to  a  compliance.  You  may  have 
terms  such  as  may  save  you  in  your  lives,  liberties,  and  estates,  according  to  what 
will  be  fitting  for  me  to  grant  and  you  to  receive.  If  you  choose  for  the  worst,  blame 
yourselves.  In  confidence  of  tlie  gracious  blessing  and  presence  of  God  witli  His 
own  cause,  which  by  many  testimonies  this  is,  I  shall  hope  for  a  good  issue  upon 
my  endeavors.     Expecting  a  return  from  you,  I  rest 

Your  servant, 

Oliver  Cromwell. 

Immediately  after  the  governor,  Sir  Walter  Butler,  sent  the  fol- 
lowing reply  : 

(2.)     For  General  Cromwell. 

Kilkemiy,  lid  Ma7-cJi,  1650. 
Sir, 

Your  letter  I  have  received  ;  and  in  answer  thereof,  I  am  commanded  to  main- 
tain this  city  for  his  Majesty,  which,  by  the  power  of  God,  I  am  resolved  to  do.  So 
I  rest,  Sir, 

Your  servant, 

Walter  Butler. 

Early  the  next  day  he  invested  the  place,  and  planted  the  bat- 
teries. ,  In  the  evening  he  attempted  to  possess  himself  of  the  Irish- 
town  ;  but  he  was  repulsed.  He  seized  on  St.  Patrick's  church, ^  and 
planted  on  the  tower  three  pieces  of  ordnance,  two  demi-cannon  and 
one  culverin.  Again  he  wrote  to  the  governor,  asking  him  to  treat 
about  terms  of  surrender.  The  letter  has  been  lost,  but  we  have  the 
Governor's  answer  : 

(3.)     For  General  Cromwell. 

Kt'kentty,  March  25///,  1650. 
Sir, 

Your  last  letter  I  received,  and  in  answer,  I  have  such  confidence  to  maintain 


1  Such  is  the  tradition;  but  the  battery  could  hardly  have  been  planted  here,  the  dis- 
tance lieing  too  great  for  the  puns  to  act  from  it  on  any  ])art  of  the  town. 

2  It  was  outside  tlie  walls,  on  the  brow  of  the   Hoher  na  thoundish,  near  its  modern 
entrance  through  St.  Patrick's  gate  into  the  High  Town. 


174  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


this  place  as  I  will  not  lose  it  upon  such  terms  as  you  offer,  but  will  sooner  lose  my 
life  and  the  lives  of  all  that  are  here,  rather  than  submit  to  such  dishonorable  condi-- 
tions.     So  I  rest,  Sir, 

Your  servant, 

Walter  Butler. 

Between  five  and  six,  on  the  morning  of  the  25th,  the  battery 
began  to  play  on  the  town-wall,  beneath  the  Marquis  of  Ormonde's 
stables,  which  lay  between  the  castle  gate  and  the  rampart.  The 
firing  continued  till  noon.  By  this  time  a  breach  was  made  in  the 
town-wall.  But  the  governor  erected  two  works  within  the  walls  with 
]>alisadocs  ;  he  had  engines  also  laid  in  the  way  to  hinder  an  entry. 
The  soldiers  were  posted  behind  in  full  body  to  receive  the  enemy  if 
they  attempted  to  enter.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Axtell  had  the  com- 
mand of  the  storming  party  ;  Colonel  Hewson  led  on  the  reserve  very 
gallantly.  St.  Canice's  church  being  observed  to  command  the  town 
in  some  parts.  Colonel  Evers,  with  a  party  of  1,000  foot,  was  sent  to 
storm  and  take  possession  of  it.  The  attack  was  made  in  both  places 
simultaneously,  to  distract  the  attention  of  the  garrison.  The  Irish- 
town  ^  had  been  entrusted  to  the  keeping  of  the  townsmen,  the 
garrison  being  employed  in  defending  the  portions  of  the  town-wall  that 
were  assailed,  and  in  securing  the  breach  against  another  attack.  The 
townsmen,  at  the  first  onset  of  the  enemy,  deserted  their  post  almost 
without  striking  a  blow,^  and  allowed  the  assailants  to  enter  through 
the  Dean's  gate,  and  take  possession  of  the  cathedral  and  of  the 
Irishtown.  Twice  the  storming  party  at  the  breach  strove  to  enter  ; 
each  time  they  were  repulsed  ;  they  lost  Captain  Higly  and  thirty  or 
forty  men.^  Hewson  was  slightly  wounded  :  he  received  a  shot  in  the 
back,  which  "  penetrated  his  buff  coat,  and  a  little  bruised  the  flesh." 
Each  time  the  breach  was  immediately  repaired  by  the  garrison.  A 
third  time  the  assailants  were  ordered  to  advance,  but  they  would  not 
obey.  They  saw  that  an  entrance  could  not  be  effected  there,  as  the 
counter-works  raised  within  the  walls  were  strongly  palisadocd  and 
commanded  the  breach.  "  It  was  a  mercy  to  us,"  says  Cromwell, 
"  that  we  did  not  further  contend  for  an  entrance  there,  it  being  prob- 
able if  we  had,  it  would  have  cost  us  very  dear."  "^ 

'  The  inland-walled  towns  were  so  strictly  English  that  the  Irish  could  not  lawfully 
dwell  therein.  Sir  Henry  Sidney  considered  them  "the  Queen's  unpaid  garrisons."  Out- 
side the  principal  gate  there  was  commonly  a  suburb  inhabited  by  the  Irish,  who  supplied 
the  townsmen  with  provisions,  or  worked  for  them  as  tradesmen,  laborers,  &c.  Crom.  Set/., 
p  295.  In  Dublin,  Limerick,  Kilkenny,  Clonmel,  Bandon,  and  New  Ross  there  is  a  district 
still  called  by  this  name. 

"  However,  in  "The  Petition  sent  to  the  Marcpiis  of  Ormonde  by  the  Irish  inhabitants 
Kilkenny,  June  iSth,  1661,  asking  to  be  restored  to  their  homes,"  they  say,  "  The  siege  of 
Kilkenny  having  endured  for  six  or  seven  days,  ytnir  petitioners  having  not  sntricient  forces 
to  defend  the  same  nor  hope  of  relief,  by  reason  of  the  plague  and  great  sickness  then  raging 
in  the  same  city,  after  suffering  in  a  high  degree  all  the  extremities  of  the  plague,  fire  ami 
sword,  and  four  several  storms  in  several  parts  of  the  city,  which  were  repulsed,  and  after  a 
great  breach  made  in  the  walls  by  cannon  shot  of  above  fifty  great  bullets  ;  at  last,  by  direc- 
tion or  allowance  of  Sir  Walter  Butler,  governor  of  the  city  and  castle,  yicklctl  upon 
quarter." 

8  Bruodin  says  600  of  the  assailants  fell  at  the  breach.  Propug.,  p.  6S4._  The  more 
probable  accounts  represent  the  garrison  as  fighting  with  all  the  energy  of  despair. 

*  Cromwell  to  Lcnthal,  from  Carrick,  April  2d,  in  Carlyle's  Letters,  &c. 


CROMWELL   I.y  IRELAND.  175 

Another  letter  from  Cromwell  followed  on  the  same  day,  there 
bcinf;  no  cessation  during  the  correspondence  in  reference  to  the  sur- 
render. 

(4.)     For  the  Governor  of  Kilkenny. 

Before  Kilke7tiiy,  25M  March,  1650. 
"ir, 

If  ynu  liad  been  as  clear  as  I  was  in  my  last,  I  might,  perhaps,  have  understont! 

on  so  as  to  j^ive  you  some  further  answer.     But  you  expressing  nothing  particularly 

.vhat  you  have  to  expect  against  mine,  I  have  nothing  more   to  return  save  this  — 

that  for  some  reasons  I  cannot  let  your  trumpeter  suddenly  come  back,  but  have 

•;cnt  you  this  by  a  drummer  of  my  own.     I  rest 

Your  servant, 

Oliver  Cromwell. 

And  this  reply  from  the  Governor  :  — 

(5.)     For  General  Cromwell. 

Kilkeniiy,  2c,ih  March,  1650. 
Sir, 

Yours  of  this  instant  I  received  ;  the  particulars  you  would  have  me  express 
are  these : — 

That  the  Ma3^or  and  citizens,  and  all  the  other  inhabitants,  and  others  now 
resident  in  the  city  and  the  liberties  thereof,  with  their  .servants,  shall  be  secured  of 
their  lives,  liberties,  estates,  and  goods,  and  live  in  their  own  liabitatious  with  all 
freetlom.  7\nd  that  our  clergymen  and  all  others  here  residing,  of  what  degree,  con- 
dition, or  quality  soever,  that  shall  l)c  minded  to  depart,  shall  be  permitted  to  depart 
safely  hence,  with  their  goods  and  whatever  they  have,  to  what  place  soever  they 
]4ease  with  this  realm,  and  in  their  departure  shall  be  safely  conveyed.  And  that 
the  said  inhabitants  shall  have  free  trade  and  traffic  with  all  i)laces  under  the  parlia- 
ment of  England's  command  and  elsewhere;  and  that  the  aforesaid  inhabitants  shall 
have  their  arms,  ammunition,  and  artillery  for  their  own  defence,  the  town  and 
liberties  thereof  paying  such  reasonable  contribution  as  shall  be  agreed  on,  and  not 
to  be  otherwise  charged.  And  that  the  governors,  commanders,  officers,  and 
soldiers,  both  horse  and  foot,  now  garrisoned  as  well  in  the  castle  as  in  the  city, 
without  exception  of  anv  of  them,  shall  safely  march  hence,  whither  they  list,  with 
their  arms,  ammunition,  artillery,  bag  and  baggage,  and  whatsoever  else  belongs  to 
them,  with  their  drums  beating,  colors  flying,  matches  burning,  and  bullet  in  bouche; 
and  that  they  shall  have  a  competent  time  for  their  departure  and  carrying  away 
their  goods,  with  a  sufficient  and  safe  convey;  and  that  Major  Nicholas  Wall,  and 
all  other  commanders,  officers,  and  soldiers,  who  came  out  of  the  English  quarters, 
now  residing  liere,  shall  have  the  benefit  of  this  agreement.  Without  which,  I  am 
resolved  to  maintain  the  place,  with  God's  help. 

Thus  expecting  your  answer  to  this  letter,  and  that  during  this  treaty  tiiere 
sb.al]  be  a  cessation  of  arms  and  all  other  acts  of  hostility  on  both  sides,  I  rest.  Sir, 


Your  servant, 


Walter  Butler. 


Cromwell  was  on  the  point  of  raising  the  siege  when  the  Mayor 
and  townsmen  invited  him  to  stay,  promising  to  obtain  admittance 
for  his  forces  into  the  city.  The  conditions  are  set  down  in  the  fol- 
lowing letter  of  the  Mayor  : 


17G  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


(6.)    For  the  Right  Honorable  the  Lord  Cromwell. 
Right  Honorable, 

We  know  by  experience,  and  have  it  by  your  Honor's  letters,  that 
you  desire  not  the  spilling  of  blood  nor  the  spoiling  of  cities  and  towns;  and  tlioii^^h 
I  doubt  not  but  your  Honor  would  easily  agree  to  good  and  profitable  conditions  for 
Uie  city  and  citizens,  yet  we  having  a  Governor  of  the  city,  and  another  cl  the  castle, 
who  commands  us  also,  if  befitting  honorable  conditions  be  not  given  unto  the  mili- 
tary part,  the  city  and  citizens  do  stand  in  danger  of  ruin  as  well  from  our  own  party 
as  that  of  your  Honor's.  This,  in  the  name  of  the  city,  and  citizens,  I  humbly  offer 
to  your  Honor's  gracious,  wise  consideration,  and  desire  your  favorable  remedy 
therein,  and  rest.  Sir, 

Your  servant, 

James  Archdakin, 

Mayor  of  Kilkenny. 

To  v/hich  Cromwell  sent  the  following  answer  : 

(7.)     For  the  Mayor  of  Kilkenny. 

Sir, 


zGth  March,  1650. 


Though  I  could  have  wished  you  and  tiie  citizens  had  been  indeed  more  sensi- 
ble of  your  own  interest  and  concernments,  yet,  since  you  are  minded  to  involve  it 
so  much  with  that  of  the  soldiers,  I  am  glad  to  understand  you,  which  will  be  some 
direction  to  me  what  to  think  and  what  to  do.     I  rest 

Your  friend, 

O.  Cromwell. 

The  Mayor  replied  : 

(8.)     For  the  Right  Honorable  General  Cromwell. 

^^ Kilkoiny,  zCiih  March,  1650. 

Right  Honorable, 

I  received  your  Honor's  letter  in  answer  to  mine,  which  I  wrote  unto 
your  Honor  in  pursuance  of  the  propositions  sent  by  our  Governor  unto  your  Honor 
for  obtaining  of  the  said  conditions,  which  seemed  unto  us  almost  befitting  to  be 
granted,  the  military  part  having  exj^osed  themselves  for  our  defence;  which  obligeth 
us  not  to  accept  of  any  conditions  but  sucli  as  may  be  befitting  to  them.  I  desire 
your  Honor  to  grant  a  cessation  of  arms,  and  that  hostages  on  both  sides  be  sent, 
and  commissioners  appointed  to  treat  of  the  conditions.     I  rest 

Your  Honor's  servant, 

James  Archdakin, 

Mayor  of  Kilkenny. 

Cromwell,  in  consequence  of  his  success,  partial  though  it  was, 
could  now  insist  upon  conditions  more  favorable  to  himself.  What 
these  were  we  learn  from  the  following  letters  :  — 

(9.)     For  the  Mayor  of  Kilkenny. 

Before  Kilkenny,  zGth  March,  1650. 
Sir, 

Those  whom  God  hath  brought  to  a  sense  of  His  hand  upon  them  and  to 
amend,  submitting  themselves  thereto  and  to  the  power  to  which  He  hath  subjected 


CROMWELL   IN   IRELAND.  1 


them,  I  cannot  but  pity  and  tender,  and  so  far  as  that  effect  appears  in  you  and  your 
fellow-citizens,  I  shall  be  ready,  without  cai)itulalion,  to  do  more  and  better  forjou  and 
them  upon  that  ground,  than  upon  the  h.igh  demands  of  your  Governor  or  ids  caj)itu- 
lations  for  you. 

I  suppose  he  hath  acquainted  you  with  what  I  briefly  offered  yesterday  in  rela- 
tion to  yourself  and  the  inhabitants;  otherwise  he  hath  done  you  the  more  to  answer 
forte  God  and  man.  And  notwithstanding  the  advantages,  as  to  the  commanding  and 
entering  the  town,  which  God  had  given  us  since  that  offer,  more  than  we  were  i)os- 
sessed  of  before,  yet  I  am  still  willing,  upon  surrender,  to  make  good  the  same  to 
the  city,  and  that  with  advantage. 

Now,  in  regard  of  that  temper  which  appears  among  you  by  your  letter,  tliough 
I  shall  not  engage  for  more  upon  the  Governor's  demands  for  you,  whose  power.  I 
conceive,  is  now  greater  to  prejudice  and  pndangcr  the  city  than  to  protect  it;  to 
save  it  from  plunder  and  pillage,  I  have  promised  the  soldiery  that,  if  we  should 
take  it  by  storm,  the  inhabitants  shall  give  them  a  reasonable  gratuity  in  n  oney,  in 
lieu  of  the  pillages;  and  so  made  it  death  for  any  man  to  plunder.  Which  I  shall 
still  keep  them  to,  by  God's  help,  although  w-e  should  be  put  to  make  an  entry  by 
force,  unless  I  shall  find  the  inhabitants  engaging  still  with  the  Governor  and 
soldiery  to  make  resistance.  You  may  see,  also,  the  way  I  chose  for  reducing  the 
place  was  such  as  tended  most  to  save  the  inhabitants  from  jiillage,  and  from  perish- 
ing promiscuously,  the  innocent  with  the  guilty:  to  wit,  by  attempting  places  which 
being  possessed  might  bring  it  to  a  surrender,  rather  than  enter  the  city  itself  by 
force. 

If  what  is  here  expressed  may  beget  resolution  in  you,  which  wotdd  occasion 
your  safety  and  be  consistent  with  the  end 'of  my  coming  hither,  I  sliall  be  glad,  and 
rest 

Your  friend, 

OLrvER  Cromwell. 

(lo.)     For  the  Governor  of  I^ilkenny. 

Bcfo7  e  Kilkenny^  2Gih  March,  1650. 
Sir, 

Except  the  conditions  were  much  bettered,  and  we  in  a  worse  posture  and 
capacity  to  reduce  you  than  before  the  last  letters  I  sent  you,  I  cannot  imagine 
whence  these  high  demands  of  yours  arise.  I  hope  in  God,  before  it  be  long  you 
may  have  occasion  to  think-other  thoughts;  to  which  I  leave  you. 

I  shall  not  so  much  as  treat  with  you  on  those  propositions.  You  desire  some 
articles  for  honor's  sake;  which  out  of  honesty  I  do  deny,  viz. :  that  of  marching  m 
the  equipage  )Ou  mention,  "muskets  loaded,  matches  burning,''  &c.  I  tell  you  my 
Inisiness  is  to  reduce  you  from  arms,  and  the  country  to  quietness  and  due  subjec- 
tion ;  to  put  an  end  to  the  war,  and  not  to  lengthen  it ;  wishing,  if  it  may  stand  with 
the  will  of  God,  this  people  may  live  as  hapi^ily  as  they  did  before  the  bloody  massa- 
cre, and  better,  too.  If  you  and  the  company  with  you  be  of  those  who  resolve  to 
continue  to  hinder  this,  we  know  who  is  able  to  reach  you,  and,  I  believe,  will. 

For  the  inhabitants  of  the  town,  of  whom  you  seem  to  have  a  care,  you  know 
your  retreat  to  be  better  than  theirs  ;  and,  therefore,  it  is  not  impolitically  done  to 
speak  for  them,  and  lo  engage  them  to  keep  us  as  long  from  you  as  they  can.  If 
they  be  willing  to  expose  themselves  to  ruin  for  you,  yo\i  are  much  beholding  unto 
them. 

As  for  your  "  clergymen,"  as  you  call  them,  in  case  you  agree  for  a  surrender, 
they  shall  march  safely  away,  with  their  goods  and  what  belongs  to  them  ;  but  if  they 
fall  otherwise  into  my  hands,  I  believe  they  know  what  to  expect  from  me.  If  upon 
what  I  proposed  formerly,  with  this  addition  concerning  them,  you  expect  things  to 
be  cleared,  I  am  content  to  have  Commissioners  for  that  purpose.     I  rest,  Sir, 

Your  servant, 

Oliver  Cro.mwell. 

The  Governor  seeing  the  temper  of  the  townsmen,  and  wel/ 
aware  of  tlie  weakness  of  the  force  under  his  command,  knew  that  t'i 


178  CROMWELL   IN   IRELAND. 

resistance  he  could  offer  would  be  worse  than  useless.  The  example 
of  Drogheda  and  Wexford  taught  him  "what  to  expect"  if  the  city 
was  taken  by  assault.  On  the  receipt  of  the  above  he  wrote  to  pro- 
pose a  conference.     It  was  readily  accepted  by  Cromwell. 

(ii.)     P^or  General  Cromwell. 

Kilkoiny,  26th  March,  1650. 
Sir, 

In  answer  of  your  letter,  if  you  be  pleased  to  appoint  officers  for  a  treaty 
for  the  surrender  of  the  castle  and  city  upon  soldier-like  conditions,  I  will  also  ap- 
point officers  of  such  quality  as  are  in  the  garrison,  provided  that  hostages  of 
equality  be  sent  on  both  sides,  and  a  cessation  of  arms  be  also  granted  during  the 
treaty.  Assuring  a  performance,  on  mv  side,  of  all  that  will  be  agreed  upon,  I  rest, 
Sir, 

Your  servant, 

Walter  Butler. 

P.  S. —  I  desire  to  know  what's  become  of  my  trumpeter  whom  I  employed  two 
days  ago.  W.  B. 

(12.)     To  the  Governor  of  Kilkenny. 

Before  Kilkenny,  26th  AfarcJi,  1650. 
Sir, 

That  no  extremity  may  happen  for  want  of  a  right  understanding,  I  am 
content  that  commissioners  on  each  side  do  meet  in  the  leaguer  at  the  south  side  of 
the  city,  authorized  to  treat  and  conclude.  For  which  purpose,  if  you  sliall  speedily 
send  me  the  names  and  qualities  of  the  commissioners  you  will  send  out,  I  shall 
appoint  the  like  number  on  my  part,  authorized  as  aforesaid,  to  meet  witli  them;  and 
shall  send  in  a  safe-conduct  for  the  cominj;  out  and  return  of  yours.  As  for 
hostages,  I  conceive  it  needless  and  dilatory.  I  expect  that  the  treaty  will  begin  by 
eight  of  the  clock  this  evening  and  end  by  twelve;  during  which  time  only  will  I 
grant  a  cessation.     Expecting  your  speedy  answer,  I  rest 

Your  servant, 

Oliver  Cromwell. 

The  trumpeter  by  whom  the  message  was  sent  was  at  first  re- 
fused admittance  ;  it  was  nine  o'clock  when  the  despatch  reached  the 
Governor.      His  reply  was  given  immediately. 

(13.)     For  General  Cromwell. 

Kilkenny,  zGtJi  A f arch,  1650. 
Sir, 

Yours  of  this  instant  I  received,  and  do  hold  the  time  appointed  for  the 
treaty  and  cessation  of  arms  to  be  too  short.  Major  John  Comerford,  Capt.  David 
Turnball,  James  Cowley,  Fscj.,  Recorder  of  this  city,  and  Edward  Rotlie,  Merchant, 
are  the  commissioners  ap}jointed  by  me,  wiio  will  meet  such  commissioners  as  you 
fix  on  at  the  place  by  you  appointed  by  six  of  the  clock  to-morrow  morning,  or  sooner, 
if  you  please,  so  as  hostages  be  sent  to  me  for  their  safe  return;  for  without  hos- 
tages the  gentlemen  will  not  go.  The  reason  that  I  conceive  the  time  to  be  short  is 
because  your  trumpeter  came  not  hither  till  nine  of  the  clock  this  night;  so,  as  I 
conceive,  the  business  cannot  be  ended  in  so  short  a  time.  I  have  commanded  mine 
to  forbear  acts  of  hostility  during  this  treaty,  and  I  desire  tliat  you  do  the  like.  I 
rest,  Sir,  Your  servant, 

Walter  Butler. 


CROMWELL   hV  IRELAND.  179. 

(14.)     To  the  Governor  of  Kilkenny. 

27//;  Jfart/t,  1650. 
Sir, 

The  reason  of  the  so  late  coming  of  my  answer  to  you  was  because  my 
trumpet  was  refused  to  be  received  at  tlie  nortli  end  of  the  town ;  and  where  he  was 
achnitted,  was  kept  long  upon  the  guard. 

I  liave  sent  you  a  safe-conduct  for  tlie  four  commissioners  named  l)y  you  ;  and 
if  tliey  be  such  as  are  unwilling  to  take  my  word,  1  sliali  not,  to  luimor  tliem,  agree 
to  liostages.  I  am  willing  to  a  treaty  for  four  hours,  provided  it  begin  by  twelve  of 
tlic  clock  this  morning;  but  for  a  cessation,  the  time  last  appointed  being  past,  I 
shall  not  agree  unto  it  to  hinder  my  own  proceedings. 

Your  servant, 

O.  Cromwell. 

The  Commissioners  were  sent  out  soon  after  from  the  city,  with 
a  warrant  for  a  treaty,  signed  by  both  the  governors  of  the  city  and 
castle  of  Kilkenny,  "  appointing  and  authorizing  Major  John  Comer- 
ford,  Captain  David  Turnball,  James  Cowley,  Recorder  of  Kilkenny, 
and  Edward  Rothe,  Merchant,  to  treat  and  agree  with  the  Lord  Gen- 
eral Cromwell,  or  such  as  he  shall  appoint,  touching  the  yielding  up 
to  the  said  Lord  General  the  city  and  castle  of  Kilkenny,  and  the 
conditions  whereupon  they  shall  be  given  up."  ^ 

The  same  day,  March  27th,  a  breach  was  made  with  the  pickaxes, 
in  the  wall  adjoining  the  Franciscan  monastery,  to  make  a  way  for  the 
horse  and  foot  to  enter.  There  is  a  piece  of  comparatively  modern 
work  in  the  old  town-wall,  at  the  angle  where  the  Brcgagh  joins  the 
Nore  ;  probably  this  was  the  spot  where  the  breach  was  affected. 
The  townsmen,  who  were  guarding  this  part  of  the  city,  also  began  to 
forsake  their  posts.  Fortunately  the  governor  at  the  head  of  a  troop 
of  horse,  came  up,  and  beat  off  the  enemy,  killing  most  of  those  that 
w(^e  near  the  spot. 

That  night  a  party,  consisting  of  eight  companies  of  foot  under 
Colonel  Gifford,  was  sent  across  the  river  to  take  possession  of  that 
part  of  the  town.  The  attempt  proved  successful.  They  next  tried  to 
cross  St.  John's  bridge,  fire  the  gate,  and  thus  effect  an  entrance  into 
the  city.  Though  they  advanced  resolutely,  yet  they  lay  so  open  to 
the  enemy's  shot  that  they  were  repulsed,  with  the  loss  of  forty  or 
fifty  men. 

Cromwell,  in  the  meantime,  was  preparing  to  erect  a  second  bat- 
tery. The  governor,  seeing  the  weakness  of  the  garrison,  fe\v  in 
number,  and  exhausted  by  continual  watching  at  their  posts,  and- 
dcspairing  of  further  aid,  determined  to  carry  out  Lord  Castlchaven's 
orders,  viz  : — That  if  he  was  not  relieved  by  seven  o'clock  on  the 
evening  of  the  27th  inst.,  he  should  not,  through  any  false  notion  of 
honor,  expose  the  inhabitants  to  be  massacred,  but  rather  make  as 
good  conditions  as  he  could  by  a  timely  surrender.  A  parley  was 
beaten,  a  cessation  of  hostilities  was  agreed  on,  and  at  noon  next  day, 
March  28th,  the  town  and  castle  were  delivered  up.  The  same  day, 
Ireton  arrived  with  1,500  men  to  aid  the  besiegers.  The  following 
were  the  conditions  of  surrender  :  — 

1  Captain  Frewen  was  unhappily  killed  during  the  treaty,  there  being  no  cessation. 


180  CROMWELL    IN  IRELAND. 

Articles  of  ai^reeiiient  betiveen  the  Commissioners  appoijited  by  his  ExceHency,  Lord 
Cromwell,  Lord  Lieutenant  General  of  Lreland.  for  and  on  behalf  of  his 
Excellency,  of  the  one  part,  and  those  appointed  Commissioners  by  the  respcciiTe 
Governors  of  the  City  and  Castle  of  Kilkenny^  of  the  other  party.  March 
2jth,   1650. 

1.  That  the  respective  Governors  of  the  city  and  castle  of  Kilkenny  sliall 
deliver  to  his  Excellency,  the  Lord  Cromwell,  the  Lord  Lieutenant  (General  of 
Ireland,  for  the  use  of  the  State  of  England,  the  said  city  and  castle,  witli  all  arms, 
ammunition,  and  provisions  of  public  stores  therein,  without  embezzlement,  except 
what  is  hereafter  excepted,  at  or  before  nine  of  tlie  clock  to-morrow  morning. 

2.  Tliat  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  city  of  Kilkenny,  and  all  others  therein, 
shall  be  defended  in  their  persons,  goods,  and  estates,  from  the  violence  of  the 
soldiery,  and  that  such  as  shall  desire  to  remove  thence  elsewhere,  none  excepted, 
shall  have  liberty  so  to  do,  with  their  goods,  within  three  months  after  the  date  of 
these  articles. 

3.  That  the  said  Governors,  with  all  the  officers  and  soldiers  under  their  respec- 
tive commands  in  the  said  city  and  castle,  and  all  others  who  shall  be  so  pleased, 
shall  march  away  at  or  before  nine  of  the  clock  to-morrow  morning,  witli  their  bag 
and  baggage;  the  otilicers  wuh  their  attendants,  their  arms,  and  with  their  horses 
not  exceeding  the  number  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  horses  ;  and  their  foot  soldiers  to 
march  out  of  the  town,  two  miles  distant,  with  their  arms,  and  with  drums  beating, 
colors  flying,  matches  lighted,  and  ball  in  bouche  ;  and  then  and  there  to  deliver  up 
the  said  arms  to  such  as  shall  be  appointed  for  receiving  them,  excepting  one  hun- 
dred muskets  and  a  hundred  pikes  allowed  them  for  their  defence  against  ihe 
Tories.' 

4.  That  the  said  officers  and  soldiers  shall  have  from  his  Excellency  a  safe- 
conduct  six  miles  from  the  city  of  Kilkenny;  and  from  thenceforward  a  pass  for 
their  security  out  of  his  Excellency's  quarters  ;  the  said  pass  to  be  in  force  for  six 
days  from  the  date  of  these  presents,  they  marching,  at  least,  ten  miles  each  day,  and 
doing  no  prejudice  to  quarters. 

5.  That  the  city  of  Kilkenny  shall  pay  ;^2,ooo  as  a  gratuity  to  his  Excellency's 
army  ;  whereof /i.ooo  to  be  paid  on  the  30th  of  this  month,  and  the  other  on  the 
first  day  of  May  next  following,  to  such  as  shall  be  by  his  Excellency  hereunto 
appointed.  '  # 

6.  That  Major  John  Comerford  and  Mr.  Edward  Rothe  shall  remain  hostages, 
under  the  power  of  his  Excellency,  for  the  performance  of  the  said  articles,  on  the 
part  of  said  city  and  garrison  of  Kilkenny. 

7.  Lastly,  for  the  performance  of  all  and  singular  the  premises  the  parties  have 
hereunto  interchangeably  put  their  hands,  the  day  and  year  first  above  written. 

James  Cowlev.        John  Cumerford,        ^   ^ 
Edward  Rothe,      David  Turnball,         ^'  <"'^omwell. 

The  author  of  the  Aphorismal  Discovery  says,  "  The  stirrender 
was  entirely  owing  to  the  conduct  of  the  citizens  ;  if  the  governor 
were  pleased,  and  the  citizens  loyal,  he  might  have  kept  the  town  for 

^  During  the  rehellion  of  164 1  the  name  of  Tories  was  given  to  Such  persons  as  at 
tirst  preferred  to  remain  neutral,  but  who  ultimately  —  perhaps  urged  by  their  loss  of  prop- 
erty and  conse([uent  distress  —  took  up  arms  witli  a  view  of  reprisal  or  revenge  on  those  by 
whom  they  had  been  reduced  to  alisolute  ruin.  English  and  Irish,  Protestant  and  Catholic, 
Republican  and  Royalist,  were  alike  their  common  enemies  ;  and,  being  joined  by  men  of 
desperate  foitunes,  they  united  themselves  in  bodies  and  became  formidable  gangs  of  free- 
booters, who  harassed  the  regular  troops  of  all  j^arties  without  distinction.  Croker's  Hist. 
Researches,  p.  52  ;  London,  1824.  It  was  applied  by  the  opponents  of  Charles  I.  to  his 
party,  under  the  idea  that  he  favored  the  Irish  rebels.  By  an  easy  transition  it  liecame  the 
distinctive  appellation  of  the  party  who  wished  for  the  widest  extension  of  the  royal  prerog- 
ative. Some  derive  it  from  Tar  a  A'it^h,  Come,  O  King,  a  cry  used  by  the  Irish  adherents 
of  Charles  I.      Titus  Gates  used  to  call  any  one  who  opposed  him  a  Tory. 


CROMWELL  IX  IRELAND.  181 

a  twelvemonth,  if  a  straitcr  siege  were  not  laid  unto.  But  the  base 
cowardice  and  disloyal  townsmen  betrayed  both  the  gentlemen  and 
the  city,  and  did  capitulate  with  the  enemy.  Which  agreed  upon,  the 
gates  were  opened  for  him,  and  all  unknown  to  the  governor.  No 
mention  made  in  the  said  capitulation  either  of  him  or  any  of  his  party, 
all  his  now  remedy  was,  seeing  the  enemy  had  the  city,  to  defend  the 
castle,  thereby  to  force  a  quarter  for  himself  and  his  soldiers,  which 
being  put  in  execution  until  the  enemy  thought  the  last  of  evils  to 
grant  him  and  his  an  honorable  quarter  of  both  lives  and  arms  ;  which 
projected,  both  city  and  castle  were  yielded." 

Cromwell  found  "the  castle  exceedingly  well  fortified  by  the  in- 
dustry of  the  enemy ;  being  also  very  capacious,  so  that  if  we  had  taken 
the  town,  we  must  have  had  a  new  work  for  the  castle,  which  might 
have  caused  much  blood  and  time." 

After  describing  his  successes  in  detail,  he  concludes  his  letter 
by  a  demand  for  supplies  :  — 

"  I  may  not  be  wanting  to  tell  you,  as  to  renew  it  again,  tliat  our  hardships  are 
not  a  few  ;  tliat  I  think  in  my  conscience,  if  moneys  be  not  supplied,  we  shall  not  be 
able  to  carry  on  your  work.  I  would  not  say  this  to  you  if  I  did  not  reckon  it 
my  duty  so  to  do.  But  if  it  be  supplied,  and  that  speedily,  I  hope,  tlirough  the  good 
hand  of  the  Lord,  it  will  not  be  long  before  England  will  be  at  an  end  of  this 
charge;  for  the  saving  of  which  I  beseech  you  help  as  soon  as  you  can.  Sir,  our 
horse  have  not  had  one  month's  pay  of  five.  We  strain  what  we  can,  that  the  foot 
may  be  paid,  or  else  tliey  would  starve.  Those  towns  that  are  to  be  reduced,  es- 
pecially one  or  two  of  tliem,  if  we  should  proceed  by  the  rules  of  other  states,  would 
cost  you  more  money  than  this  army  hath  liad  since  we  came  over.  I  hope,  through 
the  blessing  of  God,  they  will  come  chca])er  to  you;  but  how  we  should  be  able  to 
proceed  in  our  attempts  without  reasonable  supply,  is  humbly  submitted  and  repre- 
sented to  you.  I  think  I  need  not  say  that  a  speedy  period  ]nit  to  this  work  will 
break  the  cxiicctation  of  all  your  enemies.  And,  seeing  the  Lord  is  not  wanting  to 
you,  I  most  humbly  beg  it,  that  you  would  not  be  wanting  to  yourselves. 

"  In  the  last  place,  it  cannot  be  thought  but  the  taking  of  these  places,  and  the 
keeping  but  what  is  necessary  of  them,  it  must  needs  swallow  up  our  foot;  and  I 
may  humbly  repeat  it  again,  that  I  do  not  know  of  much  above  two  thousand  of 
your  five  thousand  recruits  come  to  us." 


182  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

r  SURRENDER    OF    KILKENNY. 

.Bravery  of  the  Garrison  —  Dr.  Rothe — Churches  profaned  —  Ecclesiatics  put  to  death  — 
The  Market  Cross  —  St.  Canice's  Cathedral  —  The  Windows  —  The  Ormonde  Mon- 
ument—  F.  Lea,  S.  J.  — Ormonde  and  the  Bishop  of  Clogher. 

Kilkenny  surrendered  on  the  28th  of  March,  1650.  As  the 
■garrison  marched  out  of  the  town,  with  their  commander,  Sir  Walter 
Butler,  at  their  head,  they  were  complimented  by  Cromwell  for  their 
bravery  :  he  said  that  they  were  gallant  fellows  ;  that  he  had  lost 
more  men  storming  that  place  than  at  Drogheda,  and  that  he  should 
have  gone  without  it  were  it  not  for  the  treachery  of  the  townsmen. 
Writing  from  Carrick,  April  2d,  he  expresses  "to  his  loving  brother, 
Richard  Mayor,  Esquire,"  his  great  satisfaction  at  the  success  of  his 
arms.  "The  taking  of  the  city  of  Kilkenny  hath  been  one  of  our 
last  works  ;  which  indeed,  I  believe,  hath  been  a  great  decomposing  of 
the  enemy;  it's  so  much  into  their  bowels." 

The  inhabitants  who  remained  behind,  owing  to  the  timely 
surrender,  escaped  many  of  the  calamities  that  befell  the  other  places 
captured  by  the  Puritan  army,  though  "for  the  securing  of  their  lives, 
estates,  and  goods  from  the  violence  of  the  soldiery,  they  were  forced 
to  pay  ;!^2,ooo  to  Cromwell  for  the  making  good  of  that  quarter."  ^ 
Dr.  Rothe,^  the  bishop,  availing  himself  of  the  terms  of  the  treaty, 
that  the  clergy  should  have  liberty  to  go  elsewhere,  quitted  the  city 
with  the  garrison.  Not  that  he  feared  danger  or  cared  for  his  own 
life  —  he  had  often  given  proof  of  his  readiness  to  run  any  risk  for 
the  welfare  of  the  flock. ^  When  the  plague  appeared  in  the  city,  he 
rose  from  his  bed,  to  which  he  had  been  confined  for  more  than  a 
year  by  .excruciating  painsj  and  he  had  himself  borne,  on  a  litter  from 
door  to  door,  in  order  to  minister  with  his  own  hands  the  consolations 
of  religion  to  those  of  his  flock  who  stood  in  need  of  them.  He  had 
not  gone  more  than  a  mile  outside  the  walls,  when  he  was  seized  by 
some  stragglers  from  the  victorious  army  and  robbed  of  all  he  pos- 
sessed.    The   news   of    Rothe's    capture   was   at  once   despatched  to 

1  Petition  of  the  Irish  inhabitants  of  Kilkenny  ;  see  p.  306,  antea. 

T/ie 
and 

made  by 
Dublin,  1857. 

3  Messingham  savs  he  was  well  versed  in  all  sorts  of  learnmg,  an  eU)quent  orator,  a 
subtle  philosopher,  a  profound  divine,  an  enunent  historian,  and  a  sharp  re]irover  of  vice. 
FloriUf^inn  Jnsuhe  Sanctoruyn,  p.  87;  Paris,  1624.  A  list  of  his  works  is  given  in  Ware's 
Writers  0/  Ireland,  p.  122. 


CROM  ^VE/  L   T.V  7EFLA  .^  D.  1 83 


Cromwell.  lie  gave  permission  to  have  the  a^^cd  prelate^  brought 
back  to  the  city  and  handed  over  to  his  kinsfolk,  that  he  might  pass  the 
brief  remainder  of  his  life  among  them.^  Another  and  a  more  probable 
account  is  that  given  by  Dr.  Fleming,  then  archbishop  of  Dublin, 
when  announcing  Rothe's  death  officially  a  few  months  later.  He 
says  that  he  was  dragged  from  the  carriage  in  which  he  sat,  a  tattered 
cloak  covered  with  vermin  was  given  him,  and  he  was  cast  into  a 
loathsome  dungeon,  where  he  expired  after  a  prolonged  martyrdom.'^ 
He  died  on  the  20th  of  April,  in  the  seventy-eighth  year  of  his  age 
and  the  thirty-second  of  his  episcopate.'*  His  remains  were  laid  in 
the  family  vault  in  St.  Mary's  church,  after  the  usual  obsequies  had 
been  performed  without  any  hindrance.  Some  years  before,  in  more 
peaceful  times,  he  had  erected  a  tomb  in  the  cathedral  of  St.  Can  ice, 
where  he  hoped  his  bones  might  be  laid  after  his  course  was  run  ;  '^ 
here  his  friends  strove  hard  to  have  him  interred  ;  but  owing  very 
probably  to  the  fact  that  Colonel  Axtcll's  regiment  was  quartered  in 
the  sacred  edifice,  they  could  not  carry  out  their  })ious  intentions. 
Strange  to  say,  this  monument  escaped  the  fury  of  the  Puritans, 
though  they  destroyed  the  s  mptuous  tomb  of  the  Ormondes.  It 
was  partly  demolished  later  by  the  ill-judged  zeal  of  John  Parry,  the 
Protestant  bishop  of   Ossory.^ 

Catholicity  was  flourishing  in  the  city  of  Kilkenny,  when  the 
Puritan  army,  like  a  devastating  torrent,  overturning  everything  in 
its  course,  appeared  before  the  walls.  As  soon  as  they  got  i:)osscssion 
of  the  city,  they  impiously  profaned  the  churches,  overthiew  the 
altars,  destroyed  the  jmintings  and  crosses,  and  showed  their  contempt 
for  everything  sacred.  The  vestments,  which  had  been  for  the  most 
part  concealed,  were  discovered  and  plundered  by  the  soldiery.  The 
books  and  paintings  were  cast  into  the  streets,  and  either  burnt  or 
taken  away  as  booty.  Dr.  Patrick  Lynch,  of  Galway,  writing  on  the 
1st  of  May,  1650,  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Congregation  of  the 
Propaganda,  says  that  a  report  had  reached  him  oi  cruelties  that  had 
taken  place  in  the  city  of  Kilkenny,  and  of  a  number  of  i^ricsls, 
religious,  nobles,  and  merchants,  who  had   been    ])ut   to   death   there.' 

There  is  a  tradition  still  current  in  Kilkenny,  that  after  the 
surrender   of  the  town,  some   distinguished  ecclesiastics  took  refuge 

1  In  his  "Petition  to  the  Confederate  Council,"  August  ist,  1649,  he  speak.5  of  him- 
self as  "old  and  bedrid."     See  Account  of  the  Carte  A/SS ,  p.  S3. 

2  The  family  mansion  of  the  Rothes  was  in  the  Coal  Market,  Kilkenny  ;  the  entrance 
to  it  was  by  Wolf's  Arch,     A'/t/c.  Arch,  youriial  for  1S49,  PP-  45  •*"<^1   ^hZ- 

'^  In  Spicil.  Ossory,  vol,  i,  p.  340.     Dr.  Fleming's  letter  is  dated  June  5th,  1650. 

*  He  was  promoted  to  the  see  of  Kilkenny  in  161S.  in  his  forty-fifth  year.  For  many 
years  previous  he  had  been  Vicar-General  of  Armagh.  1  lis  name  appears  in  a  list  of  students 
at  Douya,  m  1613.      .See  Calendar  of  the  Carew  A/SS.  (1603-24),  p.  2S6 ;  London,   1S73. 

^  Robert  Rothe  in  his  will,  e.vecuted  in  1619,  directs  that  he  should  be  buried  "in  vc 
Chapel  of  the  1?.  V.  Mary  and  St.  Michael,  Kilkenny,  where  his  father  and  grandfather  are 
interred." 

**  He  held  the  see  from  1672  to  1677.  lie  was  succeeded  by  his  brother,  Benjamin 
Parry,  who  held  it  only  nine  months.     See  Ware's  Antiquutes,  vol.  i.  p.  429. 

^  The  ecclesiastics  who  survived  were  banished,  for  in  the  Langton  Memorials  it  is 
sa'd  :  "  Bishop  Phelati  was  our  first  Catholic  bishop  in  the  diocese  of  Ossory  since  the  year 
T  540  ;  at  which  time  all  our  clergy  were  expelled  by  the  Parliament  and  the  usurper  Crom- 
well,'' 


184  CROMWl  LL  I}f  IRELAND. 

from  the  violence  of  the  soldiery  in  a  secret  chamber  of  the  Dominican 
friary  attached  to  the  Black  Abbey.  None  knew  of  their  place  of 
concealment  except  a  few  trusted  friends,  among  whom  was  a  woman 
named  Thornton,  who  engaged  to  supply  them  every  night  with  milk. 
This  woman,  for  a  bribe,  betrayed  the  secret,  and  indicated  to  the 
Cromwellian  soldiers  where  their  victims  could  be  found  by  spilling 
the  milk  along  the  road  from  the  outer  gate  to  the  spot  where  the 
entrance  to  the  secret  chamber  should  be  sought.  The  consequence 
was  that  the  ecclesiastics  were  dragged  from  their  concealment  and 
put  to  death.     Their  betrayer  received  a  gj-ant  of  land  as  her  reward. * 

F.  Archdeacon,  S.  J.,'-^  in  his  Thcologia  Tripartita,  a  work  pub- 
lished in  1678,  describes  the  manner  in  which  the  soldiers  displayed 
their  fanaticism  :  "There  stood,  and  still  stands,  in  the  market-place 
of  Kilkenny, 2  a  magnificent  structure  of  stone,  of  elegant  workman- 
ship, rising  aloft  after  the  nianner  of  an  obelisk.  It  is  supported  by 
four  lofty  columns,  which  bear  the  weight  of  the  whole  superstructure. 
You  ascend  it  on  the  four  sides  by  flights  of  stone  steps  ;  and  above 
all,  on  the  highest  point,  \yas  placed  a  sculptured  figure  of  the  Cruci- 
fixioi\.'*  After  the  occupation  of  the  city  by  Cromwell's  soldiers, 
some  of  them,  who  were  particularly  remarkable  for  their  impiety, 
assembled  in  the  market-place,  armed  with  their  muskets,  and  directed 
niany  shots  against  the  symbol  of  the  Crucifixion,  in  order  that  they 
might  fully  complete  their  irreligious  triumph  ;  this  their  persecuting 
fury. at  length  accomplished.  But  behold  !  the  wrath  of  an  avenging 
God  quickly  pursued  the  authors  of  this  sacrilege.  A  mysterious 
malady  seized  on  them,  and  effected  them  so,  that  none  survived 
beyond  a  fe\vdays."  Another  writer,  whose  name  has  not  comedown 
to  us,  says,  "  Seven  soldiers  of  the  Parliamentary  army,  like  seven 
unclean  spirits,  set  on  it.  After  firing  at  it  for  some  time,  they  broke 
off  the  ligher  portion  of  it,  and  returned  in  triumph  to  their  dwellings. 
But  behold  !  of  the  number,  six  died  immediately  after,  three  on  that 
same  day,  and  three  on  the  day  following.  The  seventh  was  on  the 
point  of  death  ;  I  know  not  whether  he  escaped.  These  facts  became 
known  to  the  whole  city,  and  served  to  confirni  the  Catholics  in  their 
veneration  for  the  cross,  and  to  terrify,  in  no  small  degree,  the  heretics, 
its  enemies." 

The  church  of  St.  Canice  was  the  special  object  of  their  pious 

1  A  family  named  Tliornton  .still  resides  within  a  few  miles  of  the  cit)-,  and  to  this 
day  they  are  frequently  upbraided  with  the  alleged  treachery  of  their  ancestors. 

''  He  was  born  in  Kilkenny,  in  1619.  At  the  age  of  twenty  Uirce  he  entered  the  Jesuit 
novitiate  at  Mechlin.  For  many  years  lie  taught  philosophy,  theology  and  Scripture  at  Lou- 
vain  and  Antwerp.  He  died  in  the  latter  ])lace  in  1690.  Besides  the  above  work,  which 
has  been  frecpiently  reprinted,  he  wrote  a  Treatise  on  Mtracles  and  an  Epitotiie  of  the  Ltfe  of 
St.  Patrick. 

?  Between  the  Butter  Slip  and  the  Tholsel,  in  the  middle  of  High  Street,  and  in  the 
centre  of  the  market.     It  was  erected  in  1335. 

*  A  drawing  of  this  cross  is  given  in  the  Duhlin  Penny  yoiirnal;  vol.  i.  p.  92  ;  and  in 
the  A'ilk.  Arik.  Journal  for  1S53,  p.  219,  the  latter  taken  from  an  old  drawing  in  the  collec- 
tion of  the  late  \V.  Robertson,  Esq.  Here,  in  1335,  many  were  marked  on  the  naked  Hesh 
in  the  sign  of  the  cross  with  a  red  hot  iron,  that  they  might  go  to  the  Holy  Land.  Clynn's 
Annals  ad ann.  Rinuccini,  too.  speaks  of  it  in  his  Niinziatnra,  p.  82.  An  address  in  Laini 
was  read  to  him  by  a  youth  in  front  of  it  as  he  was  entering  the  city.  It  was  taken  dowii  Ly 
order  of  the  Coporation  in  1771. 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  185 

wrath.  We  have  already  seen  that,  in  the  earlier  part  of  the  siege, 
the  assailants  had  attacked  the  quarter  of  the  city  where  it  was 
situated,  and  had  succeeded  in  effecting-  an  entrance  there  and  estab- 
lishing themselves  within  its  walls.  After  the  surrender,  the  aisles 
were  converted  into  stabling  for  the  troopers'  horses.  Colonel 
Axtell's  ^  regiment  was  quartered  in  it  for  a  considerable  time. 
Eight  years  before  it  had  been  taken  possession  of  by  the  Catholics, 
Dr.  Griffith  Williams,^  the  Protestant  bishop,  having  fled  at  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  rebellion.  It  was  then  solemnly  reconciled  for  the 
Catholic  service  by  Dr.  Rothe,  in  presence  of  the  members  of  the 
Supreme  Council  and  of  the  prelates  assembled  in  the  city.  Bale, 
whom  Rothe  calls  "an  image-breaking  debauchee  "  ^  {icouoclastcs gauco), 
had  sold  the  gold  and  silver  vessels,  and  demolished  the  altars  and 
statues  of  the  saints.  Rothe  devoted  all  his  energies  to  repair  these 
injuries,  and  succeeded  so  well  that  he  merited  the  eulogy  of  the 
legate  Ivinuccini.  An  inscrijition  still  extant  in  the  cathedral  records 
the  gratitude  of  the  people  for  his  zeal.*  Williams  thus  laments  over 
the  disasters  that  had  befallen  the  noble  edifice:  "The  great  and 
famous  and  most  beautiful  cathedral  church  of  St.  Keney  (Canice) 
they  have  utterly  defaced  and  ruined.  They  have  thrown  down  the 
great  roof  of  it,  taken  away  five  great  and  goodly  bells,  broken  down 
all  the  windows,  and  carried  away  every  bit  of  glass,  which,  they  say, 
was  worth  a  very  great  deal  ;  and  all  the  doors  of  it,  that  hogs  might 
come  and  root,  and  the  dogs  gnaw  the  bones  of  the  dead  ;  and  they 
broke  down  a  most  exquisite  marble  font,  wherein  the  Christians' 
children  were  regenerated,  all  to  pieces,  aiid  threw  down  many  goodly 
marble  monuments  that  were  therein,  and  especially  that  stately  and 
co"5tly  monument  of  the  most  honorable  and  noble  family  of  the 
House  of  Ormonde,^  and  divers  others  of  most  rare  and  excellent 
work,  not  much  inferior,  if  I  be  not  much  mistaken,  to  most  of  the 
best,  excepting  the  Kings',  that  are  in  St.  Paul's  Church  or  the  Abbey 
of  Westminster.  Rothe  says  of  the  painted  glass,  put  up  by  Bishop 
Ledrede :  ^  "  The  choir  of  the  cathedral  of  St.  Canice  is  ornamented 
with  colored  glass,  in  which  the  whole  life,  passion,  ressurection,  and 
ascension  of  our  Lord  are  most  skilfully  depicted.     Such  is  its  beauty 

1  Axtell  was  one  of  those  who  signed  the  warrent  for  the  King's  death.  Cromwell 
made  him  governor  of  Wexford,  and  later  of  Kilkenny.  In  1660  he  was  condemned  to 
death  with  the  other  regicides  siill  surviving,  "for  being  commander  of  that  black  guard,  that 
cruel  and  bloody  guard,  as  the  Attorney-General  called  it.  that  surrounded  the  High  Court 
of  InjustiLC  which  condemned  the  King  to  die."  See  the  Indicnncitt  cf  tlie  Regicides,  p.  i8r , 
London,  1724. 

2  Williams  was  Protestant  Bishop  of  Ossory  from  1641  to  1672. 

^  An  interesting  account  of  Bale's  "godly  career  "  in  Ireland  is  given  in  the  Irish 
Ecclesiastical  Record,  vol.  i.  p.  569  ;  Dublin,  1865. 

•*  The  inscription  is  given  in  Gxa.xts'  Hisfory  of  St.  Canice^  Cathedral,  p.  293;  it  is 
set  on  an  clabo:ate  Renaissance  monument,  bearing  the  arms  of  the  Rothe  family,  or  a  stag 
tripp  nt  gales,  by  an  oak  tree  vert,  with  the  motto,  "  Virluti  non  aitdaaa.'' 

^'  It  was  erected  in  memory  of  Thomas  Butler,  surnanied  the  Black,  tenth  Earl  of 
Ormonde,  who  died  in  1614.     He  was  buried  in  the  choir  of  St.  Canice's  cathedral. 

"  Clynn  (Ainials,  p.  13)  says  he  was  consecrated  on  the  8th  of  the  kelands  of  May, 
A.  D..  at  Avignon,  where  the  Pope  then  dwelt.  About  1334  he  began  the  repairs  of  the 
cathedral,  which  had  been  much  injured  by  the  falling  in  of  the  belfry  in  1322.  He  died 
m  1360. 

BOSTON  COLLEGE  LIBKAHY 


180  CROMWELL   LY  IRELAND. 


and  splendor,  that  when  the  iconoclasts  of  modern  times,  in  the  reigns' 
of  Kdward  and  Elizabeth,  destroyed  the  sacred  pictures,  and  though' 
that  unclean  drunkard,  Bale,  broke  and  profaned  all  the  statues  of  the 
saints  which  he  could  lay  hands  on,  yet  neither  he  nor  the  two  other 
intruding  bishops  who  succeeded  him  touched  these  windows."  Yet 
these,  too,  were  demolished  by  the  bigots. 

In  the  account  of  the  Jesuit  Mission  from  1641  to  1650,  some 
further  details  are  given  of  the  state  of  the  city  during  the  siege  :  — 

"  Fatlier  Patrick  Lea,  a  man  hekl  to  be  a  saint  by  all  who  knew  him,  was  em- 
ployed in  the  service  o£  those  who  v\eie  struck  down  by  liie  phigue.  He  was  well 
versed  in  all  kinds  of  learning,  even  in  the  knowledge  of  medicine;  for  this  reason 
lie  was  asked  by  the  citizens  to  undertake  that  duty.  But  owing  to  his  aident  tem- 
perament and  his  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  souls,  his  life  was  not  a  long  one.  Not 
only  did  he  continuously  hear  the  confessions  of  the  plague-stricken,  give  them  Holy 
Communion  and  Extreme  Unction,  and  bestow  on  them  all  the  spiritual  aid  they 
needed,  but,  besides,  he  was  unceasing  in  attending  to  their  bodily  wants,  suppl)ing 
them  with  medicines  and  food  and  cleansing  their  sores.  It  happened  that  a  poor 
man,  whom  he  was  attending,  died.  The  body  was  sjjreading  contagion  all  around. 
Father  Lea  took  up  the  corpse  in  his  arms  and  carried  it  to  a  neighboring  cemetery, 
and,  making  a  grave,  buried  it  there.  Owing  to  the  heated  state  in  which  he  was, 
and  to  the  contact  with  the  corpse,  he  was  stricken  down  by  the  fatal  disease  on  the 
24th  of  March,  1650,  to  the  great  grief  of  the  cititens. 

"A  few  days  after  his  death  the  city  was  taken.  Our  Fathers  sought  to  avoid 
the  danger  in  various  ways.  One  of  them  took  up  a  weapon,  and  passed  out  with 
the  soldiers  who  were  leaving  the  town.  Another  acted  as  servant  in  the  house  of  a 
certain  nobleman,  and  when  waiting  at  table,  often  poured  out  wine  and  ale  to  the 
enemy.  A  third,  in  the  disguise  of  a  merchant,  remained  behind  in  the  cit),  and  em- 
ployed himself  in  consoling  the  Catholics. 

"Meantime  the  army  of  the  heretics  entering  the  town,  overturned  the  altars 
and  profaned  the  images,  crosses,  and  all  the  other  sacred  things.  They  destroyed 
our  house  and  oratory,  sparing  nothing  that  they  believed  belonged  to  a  Jesuit.  The 
sacred  furniture  had  l>een  hidden  away  ;  yet  it  was  found  and  plundered.  The  books 
were  thrown  out  into  the  street  and  burned.  The  soldiers  who  were  struck  down  by 
the  plague  were  put  into  our  house,  which  was  turned  into  a  hospital,  and  profaned 
everything." 

After  the  capture  of  Kilkenny,  Ormonde,  Castlehaven,  and  the 
Bishop  of  Clogher  met  in  Wcstmeath  to  consult  with  the  gentleman 
of  that  county  about  the  King's  interests.  Ormonde  set  before  thcni 
the  following  queries  :  ist.  Whether  they  were  able  to  raise  such 
forces  as  would  be  sufficient  to  engage  Cromwell  ?  2d.  In  case  they 
were  not  able  to  fight,  whether  it  were  not  necessary  with  all  the  force 
they  could  muster  to  fall  on  the  English  quarters,  and  there  bmn  and 
destroy  all  they  could,  that  the  enemy  might  not  be  able  to  subsist.' 
3d.  If  this  was  not  feasible,  whether  it  was  not  most  convenient  for 
them  to  join  in  some  proposals  of  p-jace  for  the  whole  kingdom,  or 
every  one  for  himself,  to  make  his  own  particular  application  ?  The 
last  expedient  was  much  approved  by  some ;  but  most  of  them, 
knowing  they  had  little  claim  to  good  conditions,  preferred  to  attack 
the  English  in  their  quarters,  and  thus  protract  time  until  they  sliould 
have  an  opportunity  of  escaping. 


CROMWKI.L   JN  IRELAND.  187 


CROMWELL  LN  LRELAND. 

CHAPTER   XXVII. 

THE    DATTLE    OF    MACROOM. 

Sadlier's  successes  —  Enuisiiag,  Pulkcny,  Ballydoine,  Granny,  and  Dunkill  taken  — 
Henry  Cionnvcll  arrives  in  Ireland  —  Defeat  of  Inchi(|uin  —  The  Munster  Army  — 
Confederate  Standards — IJattie  of  Macrooni  —  The  Bisliop  of  Ross  hanged  —  Sur- 
render of  Carrigadrohid  —  liroghill's  Account. 

The  main  body  of  CromwcH's  army  remained  but  a  short  time 
at  Kilkenny,  perhaps  tlirough  fear  of  the  plague.  Within  a  week 
after  the  surrender  he  set  out  for  Carrick,  as  is  shown  by  a  letter  of 
his  written  from  there  to  his  friend  Richard  Mayor.  The  headquarters 
were  at  Burntchurch,  four  miles  south-west  of  Kilkenny. 

Parties  were  sent  out  to  seize  on  the  various  strongholds  in  the 
neighborhood.  "  Colonel  Abbot  attempted  Ennisnag,^  where  were 
gotten  a  company  of  rogues,  which  revolted  from  Colonel  Jones.  The 
soldiers  capitulated  for  life,  and  their  two  officers  were  hanged  for 
revolting.  Adjutant-General  Sadlier  was  commanded,  with  two  guns, 
to  attempt  some  castles  in  the  counties  of  Ti]:)perary  and  Kilkenny, 
which  being  reduced  would  exceedingly  tend  to  the  blocking  up  two 
considerable  towns.  Me  summoned  rulkerry,^  a  garrison  under 
Clonmel,  and  battered  it.  They  refusing  to  come  out,  he  stormed  it, 
put  thirty  or  forty  of  them  to  the  sword,  and  the  rest,  remaining 
obstinate,  were  fired  in  the  castle.  He  took  Ballojwin,^  the  enemy 
marching  away,  leaving  their  arms  behind  them  He  took  also  the 
Granny  and  Donhill,'*  two  very  considerable  places  to  Waterford, 
upon  the  same  terms. 

A  month  before,  Henry  Cromwell  ^  had  arrived  at  Youghal  from 
England  with  a  regiment  of  foot  and  about  two  hundred  horse.  H6 
and  Lord  l^roghill,  having  united  their  forces,  defeated  Lord  Inchiquin 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Limerick,  killing  i6o  of  his  men,  and  taking 
over  loo  prisoners.  Among  those  captured  were  three  officers.  They 
were  tried  by  court-martial  for  betraying  their  trust,  having  been 
formerly  in  the  service  of   the  I'arliament.     They  were   sentenced  to 

'  In  the  county  of  Kilkenny,  between  Kells  and  Gowran  ;  the  castle  is  in  ruins,  only 
some  parts  of  the  east  and  south  walls  remaniing. 

2  In  the  county  of  Tipperary,  five  miles  east  of  Clonmel. 

^  Ballydoine,  midway  between  Carrick  and  Clonmel. 

*  Four  mil°.s  north  of  Waterford,  on  the  Thomastown  road. 

^  Another  of  the  name,  Thomas  Cromwell,  a  descendant  of  "  the  destroyer  of  mor.as- 
teries,"  under  Henry  VIH  ,  came  to  Ireland  in  the  reign  of  James  I.,  and,  in' exchange  for 
an  estate  in  Devonshire,  g(_)t  from  Lord  Mountjuy  the  abbey  lands  of  I'lown,  Innis,  and  Saul, 
granted  to  thai  nobleman  for  his  services  to  the  Crown,  lie  was  governor  of  Lecalc,  His 
son  Thomas  became  Viscount  Lecalc  and  Larl  of  Ardglas. 


188  CROMWELL  LN'  IRELAND. 

die.  Two  of  them  were  shot;  the  third,  Colonel  Claydon,  was 
pardoned.  The  country  people  were  so  terrified  that  they  fled  with 
their  goods  and  cattle  across  the  Shannon  into  Clare,  having  first  set 
fire  to  their  houses  and  castles,  that  the  enemy  might  not  find 
shelter.  Th.'s  success  kept  in  check  those  who  might  have  fallen  on 
Cromwell's  rear.  Broghill,  on  his  way  to  join  the  niain  body  of  the 
army,  received  urgent  orders  from  Cromwell  to  hasten  to  Clonmel. 
But  meantime  he  had  secret  information  from  his  brother,  who  was  then 
at  Castlelyons,  that  David  Roche  had  got  together  a  body  of  700  men 
in  Kerry  with  the  design  of  relieving  that  town.  With  him  was 
Boetius  Egan,^  who  had  been  consecrated  bishop  of  Ross  the  year 
before.  He-  hc^d  been  obliged  to  fly  from  his  diocese  and  take  refuge 
in  the  fastnesses  of  Kerry.  Broghill  took  horse  and  })osted  in  all 
haste  to  Clonmel.  Having  obtained  from  Cromwell  some  reinforce- 
ments, at  the  head  of  1,600  foot  and  200  horse,  he  set  off  for  Cork, 
which  he  reached  on  the  8th  of  April. ^  There  \\c  learned  that  the 
rendezvous  of  the  enemy  was  at  Macroom.  The  next  day  he  reached 
Kilcrea.  On  the  morning  of  the  loth  he  came  before  the  castle  of 
Carrigadrohid,^  about  three  miles  from  Macroom.  He  found  it 
garrisoned  by  some  of  Roche's  troops.  Leaving  his  foot  behind  to 
keep  the  garrison  in  check,  he  hurried  with  his  horse  to  IMacroom. 
At  his  approach  the  garrison  set  fire  \q  the  castle  and  joined  the 
main  body,  which  lay  encamped  in  the  park.  Broghill  immediately 
charged  them.  Surprised  by  the  suddenness  of  the  attack,  they  gave 
way  and  fled,  leaving  many  of  their  number  on  the  fiejd.  According 
to  Whitelocke,  the  loss  amounted  to  700  slain  ;  many  prisoners  were 
taken,  among  them  20  captains,  lieutenants,  and  other  officer^  of  the 
army ;  the  standard    of  the  church  ^  of  Munster  was  also  captured,  it 

^  He  \yas  a  native  of  Diihallow,  county  Cork  He  entered  (he  Franciscan  Order,  and 
studied  at  Loiivain  with  Colgan  and  Fleming.  On  the  rccnnnncndatinn  of  Rinuccini  he 
Was  a[)pointed  to  the  see  of  Ross.  Tlie  Ornujndists  strove  to  exclude  him  from  the  assem- 
bly of  the  Confederates.  ]5ut  Rnuiccini  and  the  other  bisho|)s  supported  his  claim  and 
obtained  his  admission.     See  T/ie  Franciscan  Jl/onastencs,  j).  22S. 

2  Ware  gives  May  lotli  as  tlie  date  of  the  battle  of  Macroom.  From  Broghill's  letter 
it  is  clear  that  the  battle  took  place  April  loth. 

^  Carrigadrohid  castle  is  built  on  a  steep  rock  jutting  out  into  the  river  Lee.  This 
romantic  site  was  the  choice  orihe  wife  of  M'Carthy,  l)y  whom  it  was  built. 

^  The  Christian  symbols  which  the  Catholic  soldiers  use  on  their  military  standards 
are —  ist.  On  the  white  banners  decked  witli  chops  of  blood,  the  image  of  Christ  crucified  ; 
motto:  "  A""()uum  est  i)ro  Christo  mori "  (It  is  right  to  die  for  Christ).  2d.  On  the  green 
Ijanners,  an  image  of  our  Saviour  bearing  the  cross  ;  motto:  "  I'atior  ut  vincam  "  (I  suffer 
that  I  may  concjuer).  3d.  On  the  cloth  of  gold  banners,  (  hrist  rising  from  the  tomb  ;  motto. 
"  Exsurgat  Deus  et  dissi[)entur  iuiuiici  ejus"  (let  God  arise  and  his  enemies  be  scattered). 
4lh  On  the  red  banners,  the  name  of  Jesus  ;  motto  :  "  In  nomine  Jesu  oinne  geiui  lleciatur  " 
("In  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  shall  bend)  5th.  On  the  sky-blue  banners,  the  image 
(if  the  B.  V.  Mary,  bearing  in  her  arms  the  child  Jesus,  and  crushing  with  her  foot  the 
serpent's  liead  ;  motto:  "Solvit  vincula  Dcus"  (God  hath  broken  our  chains).  6th.  On 
the  crimson  banners,  an  arm  argent,  armoured,  issuing  from  a  cloud,  holdirg  a  lance  of  the 
same  color:  motto:  "  Fortitudo  niea  desuper  "  (my  strength  is  from  above).     7th.   On  the 


sanic  n)ior:  motto:  rortuucuj  mea  iiesuper  |uiy  sireugiu  is  iiuui  auuve;.  /in.  v^-u  mc 
banners  of  the  cloth-of-silver,  a  knight  armed  cap-a  pie.  setting  fire  to  the  Institutes  of  Cal- 
vin ;  motto  :  "  .So  may  all  heresies  perish."  8th.  On  the  jnnple  banners,  an  image  of  our 
Savioiu- delivering  the  souls  of  the  fathers  from  Limbo  ;  motto  :  "  Victor  redit  de  barathro  " 
(he  returns  victorious  from  hell);  or,  the  image  of  Judith,  holding  a  golden  hilled  sword, 
and  deahng  Holdferues  the  fatal  blow  ;  nn)tto  :  "Dorninus  viiulicat  jiopuhnn  suum  "  (the 
Lord  avengeth  his  people).  On  the  dexter  .'ide  of  each  of  the  above  banners  ther^  was  an 
Irish  cross  within  a  red  circle  on  a  green  field.     Under  the  cross  the  ntotto  :  "  Vivat  CaroJ 


ht  I  \  -EL  L   J.V  IR  EL  A  NIJ.  189 


being  a  church  army.  The  Bisliop  of  Ross,  the  High  Sheriff  of 
Kerry,  and  several  other  persons  of  distinction  were  taken  prisoners.^ 
The  High  Sheriff  was  condemned  to  be  shot,  l^roghill  ordered  the 
Bishop  to  be  led  to  the  castle  of  Carrigadrohid,  and  offered  him 
pardon  if  he  would  use  his  efforts  to  make  the  garrison  surrender. 
When  he  was  brought  within  hearing  of  those  within,  instead  of 
urging  them  to  yield,  he  exhorted  them  to  maintain  their  post 
resolutely  against  the  enemies  of  their  religion  and  country.  A  true 
soldier  wouki  have  honoicd  such  heroism,  even  in  an  enemy.  ]5ut 
not  so  Broghill  ;  by  his  order  the  brave  Bishop  was  abandoned  to  the 
fury  of  the  soldiers.  His  arms  were  first  severed  from  his  body;  he 
was  then  dragged  along  the  ground  to  a  tree  close  by,  and  hanged  fi'om 
one  of  its  branches  with  the  reins  of  his  own  horse.^  Roche's  men  had 
meanwhile  fled  into  the  woods  ;  he  tried  to  rally  them  about  Killarney, 
and  sent  to  Inehiquin  for  a  reinforcement  of  horse  from  Clare,  in 
order  to  make  a  second  attempt  to  relieve  Clonmel.  But  Broghill 
advancing  to  Brisbane,  near  Millstreet,  prevented  their  uniting.  The 
castle  was  afterwards  taken  by  a  silly  stratagem.  The  assailants 
yoked  teams  of  o.xen  to  large  beams  of  timber.  The  garrison 
supposed  these  were  cannon,  and  thought  it  better  to  make  terms  than 
to  continue  a  resistance  that  would  certainly  end  in  their  destruction. 
They  surrendered  on  articles,  by  which  they  were  allowed  to  march 
out  without  arms,  the  Governor  being  "  allowed  sixteen  arms  to 
defend  his  soldiers  from  the  Tories." 

A  letter  from  tlie  Lord  Brogliill,  dated  at  Cork  the  r6th  of  April,  1650,  was  this 
day  read,  wherein  was  the  enclosed  relation  : 

"  iMy  Loid  Lieutenant  understanding  by  several  ways  that  the  enemy  was 
gathenng  a  considerable  body  of  an  army  in  the  county  of  Kerry,  which,  by  its  ad- 
vancing into  these  parts,  was  like  to  put  them  into  arms,  also,  sent  me  back  from 
the  army  before  Clonmel  to  draw  together  14  troops  of  horse  and  dragoons  and  12 
foot  companies  ;  and  with  these  forces  to  take  all  advantages  upon  the  enemy. 

"  On  my  arrival  in  this  town,  the  Sth  of  this  inst.,  I  found  they  had  prevented 
our  expectation,  and  were  come  within  twelve  miles  of  it  to  ALacroom,  a  town  and 
castle  of  the  Lord  Muskerry,  where  their  army  daily  increased,  and  was  like  to  do 
so,  unless  immediately  defeated.  This  pressing  necessity  made  me  draw  out  Captain 
Deane's  and  Captain  Jenning's  troops,  newly  landed,  my  own,  Colonel  Warden's, 
Major  Powel'Sjand  Captain  Bishop's  troop,  all  mine  own  regiment,  to  which  I  added 
about  800  foot  of  Sir  Hardress  Waller's,  Colonel  Phayre's,  and  Colonel  Ryves'  regi- 
ment, with  his  party.  The  9th  instant,  I  advanced  seven  miles  towards  the  rebels, 
and  the  roth,  learning  they  still  ke))t  their  ground,  w^e  resolved,  by  the  help  of  the 
Lord,  to  engage  them;  but   one   of   the   carriages  with  ammunition  breaking,  1  was 

et  Rex  "  (long  live  Knig  Charles),  and  over  it  the  letters  C.  R.  and  a  regal  crown.  A  por- 
tion of  one  of  these  banners  is  in  the  possession  oi  the  Dominicans  at  Tallaght,  in  the  county 
of  Dublin. 

'  /■/^<?  Bn'i/  Ch'onicU  says  Ijctwecn  500  and  Goo  were  slain,  whereof  some  of  good 
quality  ;  and  almost  i,ooo  arms,  and  good  store  of  ricii  plunder  was  taken. 

^  De  Burgo  gives  a  list  of  the  Irish  bishops  residing  in  their  sees  in  1649,  ^vhich  Dr. 
French,  bisho])  of  F'erns,  j)resentcd  to  Clement  IX.  in  i''^/.  Dr.  Egan  is  set  down  among 
those  who  were  slain  through  hatred  of  the  faith,  "■  tuterfecti  in  oditivi  fidciy  Hib.  Dojii.^ 
]).  489.  The  Lonvain  Record  of  the  Franciscan  Order  says  he  was  a  zealous  champion  and 
apostle  of  the  faith,  and  that  he  crowned  his  life  by  the  glorious  death  of  a  martyr.  Ortho 
do.\a2  fidei  strenuus  defensor  ct  asserto,  pro  qua  glorioso  martyrio  vit.x  finem  et  coronidem 
iniposuit."  He  was  buried  in  the  cemetery  of  Aghina.  See  The  Franciscan  Monasteries,  p. 
228,  and  O'Reilly's  Sufferers  for  the  Faith  in  Ireland,  p;  22S. 


190  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 

resolved  to  leave  a  good  part  of  the  foot  and  some  liorse  with  it,  and  to  advance  with 
all  the  rest  of  our  horse  to  engage  them  till  our  foot  came  up. 

"  Thus  it  pleased  God  we  did,  and  after  a  third  rallying  of  their  foot,  gave  them 
a  total  rout,  though  in  a  place,  the  worst  for  horse  ever  I  saw,  and  where  one 
lundred  musketeers  might  have  kepfoff  all  the  horse  of  Ireland.  By  our  most 
noderate  computation  we  killed  between  five  and  six  hundred  on  the  place,  whereof 
:;ome  of  good  quality.  Our  prisoners,  which  are  but  few,  because  I  gave  orders  to 
knock  all  on  the  head,  were  the  bishop  of  Ross,  their  general,  though  he  tells  me 
but  a  joint  commissioner  with  my  Lord  Roche's  son,  the  Ifigh  Sheriff  of  the  county 
Kerry,  with  about  twenty  captains,  lieutenants,  and  other  officers,  and  gentlemen. 

"  Amongst  other  colors  that  were  taken,  there  fell  into  our  hands  the  standard  of 
the  church  of  Munster  (as  I  am  informed),  for  this  was  a  clergy  army. 

"Our  men  got  in  the  camp  and  in  the  pursuit  good  store  of  rich  plunder,  and  I 
verily  believe  the  enemy  carried  not  away  with  him  300  arms.  Had  it  been  possible 
for  our  foot  to  come  up,  in  human  probability  there  had  not  escaped  100  of  the 
rebels  ;  but  I  hope  they  are  so  well  dispersed  that  it  will  not  be  in  any  man's  power 
to  call  them  together  a  good  while,  especially  if  some  new  commands  hinder  us 
from  prosecuting  the  success.  I  found  some  papers  of  singular  consequence  in 
the  bishop's  pocket,  which,  I  hope,  shall  not  want  improving. 

"The  night  after  we  received  this  mercy,  wiiich,  if  any  longer  protracted,  had  I 
find,  cast  all  these  countries  into  arms,  I  sent  Major  Nelson  with  200  foot  and  70 
horse  to  summon  Carrigadrohid  castle,  a  place  the  enemy  had  surprised  in  our 
quarters,  and  of  great  consequence  for  the  strength  and  situation  of  it.  I  gave 
orders  that  if  the  garrison  in  it  delivered  it  not  up,  we  should  hang  the  bishop  before 
it.  The  former  not  being  done,  the  latter  was;  and 'tis  observable  that  immediatelv 
after  the  bishop  was  hanged,  I  came  up  and  persuaded  -the  governor  af;;er  the  ex- 
ecution to  surrender  me  the  castle  almost  upon  the  same  terms  he  had  refused  to 
save  the  bisiiop's  life,  the  only  difference  being  that  I  gave  him  16  arms  to  defend 
his  soldiers  from  the  Tories. 

"  The  bishop  was  wont  to  say  there  was  no  way  to  secure  the  English  but  by 
hanging  them.     That  which  was  his  cruelty  became  his  justice. 

"  This  is  the  exactest  account  I  can  give  of  the  late  mercy,  wherein  the  Lord  was 
as  visible  as  the  mercy  itself."  • 


CnO^nVELL   IN  IRKLAjXD.  101 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE      SIF.GK      OF      CLONMEL, 

Conduct  of  (he  Inhabitants  —  The  Garrison —  Summons  to  Surrender  —  O'Neill's  Answer  — 
Fennell's  Treachery — BrogliilTs  Arrival  —  Tlie  Assault —  Langlcy  of  the  Iron 
Hand — Want  of  Annnunilion  —  Surrender  —  Account  by  an  I'^ye- Witness  —  Letter 
of   S.Dillingham — The  Articles  of  Surrender  —  FF.  O'Reilly  and  Magrath,  O   P. 

On  the  27th  of  April  ^  Cromwell  came  before  Clonmel.  This 
town  was  one  of  the  first  places  seized  on  by  the  Lords  of  the 
Pale  when  they  resolved  on  making  common  cause  with  the  Ulster 
Irish.  The  citizens  strongly  insisted  on  their  allegiance  to  the  King, 
averring  that  their  purpose  was  to  defend  themselves  against  a  parlia- 
ment equally  hostile  to  the  sovereign  and  to  themselves.  They  granted 
a  safe-conduct  to  those  Protestants  who  were  unwilling  to  join  their 
side  ;  and  when  the  Commissioners  subsequently  made  inquisition  into 
the  Irish  massacres,  they  found  that  no  murder  had  been  perpetrated 
in  its  vicinity. 

Hugh  O'Neill,  2  the  nephew  of  Owen  Roc,  had  been  sent  in  the. 
month  of  December  preceding  with  1,500  foot  under  Colonel  Turlogh 
Oge  O'Neill  MacIIcnry  of  the  Fews,  and  about  100  horse  under 
Major  Fcnnell,  to  garrison  the  town.*^  It  was  well  protected  on  the 
south  side  by  the  Suir.  The  other  parts  were  surrounded  by  a  wall. 
But  even  during  the  first  days  of  the  siege  the  garrison  was  in  want 
of  provisions.  "O'Neill  and  the  mayor  had  joined  by  a  solemn  prot- 
estation and  oath  in  union  for  God,  king,  and  country,  and  defence  of 
the  town  to  the  uttermost  of  their  power."  They  told  Ormonde  that 
"  the  garrison  was  of  good  courage  and  resolution,  and  that  on  Clomncl 
the  safety  of  the  kingdom  chiefly  depended.  Ph^y  besought  him  to 
prevent  any  bloody  tragedy  to  be  acted  there  as  in  other  places,  for 
want  of  timely  relief  ;  that  the  army  should  march  night  and  day  to 
their  succor,  and,  in  the  mean  time,  that  the  promised  relief  might 

1  "  Mr.  Lloyd,  chaplain  to  the  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  came  to  London  with 
letters  fiom  his  lordship.  He  informs  that  on  Saturday  seven-night  the  Lord  Lieutenant 
came  before  Clonmel,  and  the  Tuesday  following  the  great  guns  were  brought  before  it." 
Perfect  Diurnal,  May  6:h  to  13th.  The  army  must  have  marched  to  Clomnel  immediately 
af'er  the  surrender  of  Kilkenny  ;  otherwise  how  could  it  be  said  that  the  siege  lasted  for 
two  months?  The  lV,ir  of  Ire/a/Kf  s.:y\s,  "Cromwell  sent  two  or  three  regiments  of  horse 
before  him  to  block  up  Clonmel  at  distance. 

2  M'Genghegan  says  he  had  served  under  his  uncle  in  foreign  countries,  and  was 
deemed  an  able  captain  and  proved  himself  such  at  Clonmel  and  Limerick.  T/isL  0/ Jreiand, 
P-  574. 

^  The  muster-roll  of  the  Ulster  horse  and  foot  at  Clonmel  in  January,  1650,  is  given 
in  the  Aph.  Disc,  vol.  ii.  ji.  502,  Apjiendix  ''Military  List";  from  wliich  it  appears  that 
the  foot  numbered  about  1,200,  and  the  horse  about  50,  but  a  small  l.andful  in  comj^arison 
with  the  multitude  of  horse  and  fjot  under  Cromwell,  who  was  sup[iortcd  by  heavy  artillery. 
lOiii.,  p.  78. 


102  CROMWELL   IX  I  HI  LAND. 

be  sent  them,  accommodated  with  provisions  for  themselves  and  the 
garrison."  Ormonde  directed  Lord  Castleconnell  and  the  sheriff  to 
raise  the  county  of  Limerick.  They  met,  and  agreed  to  provide  i,oco 
foot  and  300  horse;  but  the  Commisioners  of  Trust  declared  such  a 
proceeding  contrary  to  etiquette.  Lord  Castleconnell  appointed 
another  day  for  the  meeting,  and  wrote  to  the  Commissioners  for  in- 
structions ;  they  did  not  even  vouchsafe  an  answer.  The  gentlemen 
of  Limerick,  not  knowing  how  to  proceed,  separated,  and  Clonmel  was 
left  to  Its  fate.  Here,  too,  the  plague  was  raging;  "it  was  reported  to 
be -very  hot  in  the  Irish  quarters." 

On  arriving  before  the  town,  Cromwell  sent  a  summons  to  O'Neill 
to  surrender,  offering  him  favorable  terms.  "He  answered  that  he 
was  of  another  resolution  than  to  give  up  the  town  on  quarters  and 
conditions,  till  he  was  reduced  to  a  lower  station,  and  so  wished  him 
to  do  his  best."  Cromwell  then  fell  to  his  work  and  planted  his  can- 
non.^ He  sent  Colonel  Reynolds  and  Sir  Theophilus  Jones,  Vvdth  a 
detachment  of  2,500  horse  and  dragocJns,  to  i:)revent  Ormonde's  design 
of  falling  on  the  Parliamentary  quarters.  During  all  this  time  several 
sallies  were  made  out,  sometimes  with  good  success,  sometimes  with- 
out. "O'Neill,"  says  the  author  of  the  Aporisinal Discovery,  "always 
behaved  hmiself  both  wise,  courageous,  and  fortunate  against  Crcm- 
well  and  his  party,  not  only  in  a  defensive  but  offensive  way,  with 
many  valiant  sallies  and  martial  stratagems,  to  the  enemy's  mighty  pre- 
judice, who  did  lose  some  days  200,  and  other  days  300,  other  4CO, 
other  500  men ;  this  loss  was  so  often  and  so  common,  that  n:y  Lord 
Cromwell  was  weary  of  the  place,  that  if  his  honor  did  not  impede, 
his  lordship  would  quit  the  place  and  raise  the  siege ;  resolving  this 
and  many  other  thing.'?  in  his  breast,  and  among  the  rest  tl.at  l.o  was 
confident  of  no  relief  to  come  to  this  town,  and  therefore  a  strain  in 
his  honor  to  C[uit  such  a  place,  being  for  the  conquest  of  a  whole  king- 
dom, having  men  enough  at  a  call,  after  so  much  loss  to  raise  the 
siege  would  discourage  his  own  and  alien  men  joining  with  him, 
thought  by  these  and  other  such  motives  to  tire  this  brave  warrior, 
losing  daily  men  and  ammunition,  without  the  least  expectation  to  Le 
either  supplied,  though  all  this  while  severally  promised  by  Lreston 
from  Waterford  :  notwithstanding  that  my  Lord  Cromwell  ol^scrvcd 
these  conceptions  to  be  sufficient  ground  to  wear  out  the  invincible 
courage  of  Major  O'Neill,  nevertheless  was  most  desirous  to  know 
some  other  stratagem  to  abbreviate  the  business.  Studying  all  de- 
vices, none  came  to  any  purpose,  the  dexterity  and  vigilance  of  the 
Major  was  such,  crossing  each  of  his  attempts.  At  length,  by  the 
information  of  some  of  Jnchiquin's  party  or  other  proper  surmises,  he 
lighted  upon  a  fit  instrument  of  treachery." 

Among  the  defenders  of  the  town  there  was  a  major  of  horse 
named  F'ennell,  with  whom  Cromwell  contrived  to  enter  into  a  secret 
correspondence.  Tempted  by  an  offer  of  ;i^500  and  of  full  pardon 
for  the  crime  of  taking  up  arms  against  the  jDarliament,  he  ])n)mised 
to  open  one  of   the  gates  on  the  north  side  of  the  town  the  next  night, 

'  "This  relation,"  says  the  autlior,  "I  had  not  only  from  some  of  the  olficers  and 
soldiers  of  the  besieged,  but  also  from  the  besieged  themselves." 


CROMWELL   IX  IRELAND.  193 

at  twelve  o'clock,  and  to  allow  five  hundred  of  the  besieging  force  to 
enter  by  it.  A  party  of  Ulster  men  were  on  guard  there;  these  he 
drew  off,  and  in  their  place  he  put  some  men  of  his  own  regiment ; 
as  he  knew  they  would  not  offer  such  a  stubborn  resistance  as  the  brave 
men  of  the  north.  It  so  happened  that,  on  the  same  night,  Hugh 
O'Neill  went  to  visit  the  post  and  see  with  his  own  eyes  how  they 
were  kept.  He  was  told  that  Fennell  was  more  busy  than  usual. 
When  he  reached  the  gate,  he  found  it  guarded  by  Fennell's  men 
only,  though  he  had  given  the  strictest  orders,  shortly  before,  that 
two-thirds,  at  least,  of  the  number  who  watched  the  gates  should  be 
Ulster  men.  Sus]:)ccting  that  treachery  was  at  work,  he  called  for 
the  officer  in  command,  and  having  questioned  him  and  found  his 
answers  unsatisfactory,  he  had  him  taken  into  custody.  Fennell  could 
not  conceal  his  guilt  ;  he  promised  to  reveal  the  conspiracy  in  all  its 
details  on  condition  that  he  should  receive  a  full  pardon  for  his  crime. 
As  soon  as  O'NciU  was  made  aware  of  the  plot,  he  secured  the  vari- 
ous posts  by  means  of  strong  reinforcements.  In  addition  to  the 
ordinary  guard,  he  placed  a  body  of  five  hundred  men  at  the  gate  by 
which  the  enemy  would  be  admitted.  All  this  was  done  so  noiselessly 
that  no  suspicion  was  e.xcited  of  the  discovery  just  made.  "Advising 
with  the  rest  what  was  best  to  do  in  that  extremity,  they  resolved  to 
open  the  gate,  according  to  the  former  covenant.  The  enemy  was 
watching  his  opportunity,  and  observing  the  signal,  marched  towards 
the  gate  ;  ^\vq  hundred  did  enter,  tlic  rest  nolens  volcns  were  kept  out ; 
all  that  entered  were  put  to  the  sword." 

This  was  not  the  first  time  Fennell  had  played  false.  At  the 
battle  of  Portlester,  in  May,  1643,  when  serving  under  Lord  Castle- 
haven,  he  showed  great  inactivity  wdiile  some  of  O'Neill's  kinsmen 
were  cut  down  before  his  face,  though  he  had  a  strong  brigade  of 
horse  under  his  command  at  the  time.  O'Neill,  who  had  been  ill 
during  the  battle,  on  learning  how  his  men  had  been  sacrificed,  called 
Castlehaven's  officers  cowards.  And  when  their  commander  resented 
bitterly  the  charge,  O'Neill  replied:  "I  must  confess,  gentlemen,  I 
did  say  so  to  a  gentleman  here,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Fennell,  with  the 
feather,  a  cowardly  cock,  for  seeing  my  kinsmen  overpowered  by  some 
of  the  enemy,  and  some  of  them  hacked  to  pieces  before  his  face,  he 
never  offered  to  relieve  them.  To  the  Supreme  Council,  who  em- 
ployed us  both,  he  shall  answer  for  this."  Unhappily,  in  spite  of  his 
cowardice  and  treachery,  he  seems  to  have  been  allowed  to  continue 
in  positions  of  trust.  He  surrendered  Cappoquin  without  striking 
a  blow.  He  abandoned  the  pass  at  Killaloe,  and  allowed  Ireton  to 
cross  the  Shannon  there  and  invest  Limerick  from  the  Clare  side. 
During  the  siege  of  that  city  he  conspired  with  some  of  the  oflficers, 
and  seizing  on  St.  John's  gate,  threatened  to  admit  the  enemy  unless 
the  garrison  capitulated.^ 

'  The  authi)r  of  the  Aph.  Disc,  throws  the  whole  Ijlame  of  the  surrender  of  Limerick 
on  him.  Castlehaven  says  he  was  hanged  in  Limerick  soon  after,  by  Ireton's  order,  "with 
more  than  ordinary  justice."  Memoirs,  p.  128.  Others  say  he  was  taken  to  Cork  and  ex- 
ecuted tliere,  though  he  pleaded  in  defence  his  services  in  betraving  not  only  the  garrison  of 
Limerick,  but  also  Lord  Castlehaven  before  Youghal.  Lcnihan's  Ifistrry  of  LivKrick,-^.  181. 
The  Fennell  family  seem  to  iiave  been  dependents  of  the  Ormondes. 


lO-t  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


"  My  Lord  Cromwell  certified  of  the  preposterous  issue  of  his 
late  bargain  with  Fennell,  was  mighty  troubled  in  mind,  and  therefore 
did  send  for  other  armies  and  great  ordnance  "  He  despatched  mes- 
sengers to  Lord  Broghill,  informing  him  that  his  army  was  in  a 
jMtiable  condition,  suffering  much  from  disease,  and  sorely  distressed 
at  the  many  repulses  it  had  met  with,  and  that  he  must  raise  the 
siege  and  retire  with  disgrace,  if  not  immediately  relieved  ;  he  con- 
jured him,  by  all  the  ties  of  duty  and  friendship,  to  desist  from  all 
fiirther  designs  in  that  quarter,  and  to  come  without  delay  to  his 
assistance.  The  message  reached  Broghill  after  he  had  defeated 
Roche,  and  while  he  was  putting  the  country  under  contribution  and 
taking  measures  to  prevent  any  muster  of  forces  there.  So  urgent  an 
order  could  not  be  disregarded  ;  he  immediately  despatched  a  messen- 
ger to  tell  Cromwell  that,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  he  had  just  defeated 
the  enemy,  and  would  not  fail  to  join  him  on  the  evening  of  the  third 
day  following.  Cromwell  was  delighted  at  the  news  of  his  successes 
and  of  his  speedy  arrival,  as  his  army  was  greatly  reduced  in  numbers 
and  enfeebled  by  sickness.  The  author  of  the  Mcvioir  of  Lord  Onrry 
says  that  he  was  transported  with  joy  at  Broghill's  arrival  ;  that  he 
embraced  him  and  congratulated  him  on  his  bravery,  and  that  the 
whole  army  cried  — a  Broghill !  a  Broghill  ! 

But  Broghill's  force  was  composed  mainly  of  Protestant  gentle- 
men, whose  fathers  had  come  over  fifty  years  before,  to  take  ]:)OSsession 
of  the  confiscated  estates  of  the  Earl  of  Desmond.  These  were  all 
favorable  to  the  royal  interests.  Plence  they  could  not  be  induced  to 
return  the  greetmg  and  to  cry  out  :  a  Cromwell  !  a  Cromwell  !  This 
circumstance,  trifling  as  it  may  seem,  made  a  deep  impression  on 
Cromwell's  mind. 

As  soon  as  his  additional  force  came  up,  Cromwell  renewed  the 
siege  with  increased  vigor  and  industry.  At  length  "  with  continual 
thunderings  a  long  breach  was  made  near  one  of  the  gates,  but  it 
proved  not  level  enough  when  night  fell."  The  spot  where  this  breach 
was  made  is  near  the  west  wall,  about  twenty  yards  south  of  the 
tower  called  the  magazine,  where  a  j)ortion  of  the  wall  is  still  stand 
ing.  From  Ludlow's  description  of  the  place,  it  would  seem  that 
houses  abutted  on  that  part  of  the  wall,  and  that  it  was  not  far  from 
the  church. 

"  Within  two  hours  after,  the  Majpr-General  sent  two  hundred 
chosen  men  and  officers,  with  a  good  guide,  through  by-ways  from  a 
place  at  the  wall  ne.\t  the  river  that  was  neglected  by  the  besiegers, 
and  fell  on  the  backs  of  those  in  a  fort  not  fully  finished  behind  them, 
and  cut  them  off  before  any  relief  came.  On  which  immediately  \.\\t 
next  gate  was  opened  for  them,  and  they  got  in  safe,  with  the  loss  of 
half-a-dozen.  The  number  killed  in  the  fort  was  about  sixty,  being 
one  of  their  companies." 

O'Neill  was  not  idle  within  the  town.  "  He  did  set  all  men  and 
maids  to  work,  townsmen  and  soldiers  (only  those  on  duty  attending 
the  breach  and  the  walls)  to  draw  dunghills,  mortar,  stones,  and 
timber,  and  make  a  long  lane  a  man's  height  and  about  eighty  yards 
length,  on  both  sides  up  from  the  breach,  with  a  foot  bank  at  the  back 


CROMWELL   /.V  IRELAXD.  105 

of  it;  and  he  caused  to  be  placed  engines  on  l)oth  sides  of  the  lane, 
and  two  guns  at  the  end  of  it  invisible,  opposite  to  the  breach,  and  so 
ordered  all  things  against  a  storm."  lie  entrusted  the  defence  of 
this  to  a  body  of  volunteers,  armed  with  swords,  scythes  and  pikes. 
In  the  adjoining  houses  he  placed  a  pickctl  body  of  musketeers,  and 
ordered  them  to  keep  up  a  steady  fire  on  all  ajtijroaching  the  breach. 

The  storm  began  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning.^  The 
Puritans  advanced  to  the  assault  singing  one  of  their  Scrij^ture  hymns. 
"  They  entered  without  any  opposition  ;  and  but  few  were  to  be  seen 
in  the  town  till  they  so  entered  that  the  lane  was  crammed  full  with 
horsemen,  armed  with  helmets,  backs,  breasts,  swords,  musquetootis, 
and  pistols,  on  which  those  in  the  front,  seeing  themselves  in  a  pound, 
and  could  not  make  their  way  further,  cried  out,  'Halt!  Halt!'  On 
which  those  entering  behind  at  the  breach,  thought  by  those  words 
that  all  those  of  the  garrison  were  running  away,  and  cried  out, 
'Advance  !•  Advance ! '  as  fast  as  those  before  cried,  'Halt!  Halt!' 
and  so  advanced  till  they  thrust  forward  t'lose  before  them,  till  that 
pound  or  lane  was  full  and  could  hold  no  more.  Then  suddenly  rushes 
a  resolute  party  of  pikes  and  musketeers  to  the  breach,  and  scoured 
otf  and  knocked  back  those  entering.  At  which  instance  Hugh 
Duff's  men  within  fell  on  those  in  the  pound  with  shots,  pikes,  scythes, 
stones,  and  casting  of  great  long  pieces  of  timber  with  the  engines 
amongst  them  ;  and  then  two  guns  firing  at  them  from  the  end  of  the 
l^ound,  slaughtering  them  by  the  middle  or  knees  with  chained  bullets, 
that  in  less  than  an  hour's  time  about  a  thousand  men  were  killed  in 
that  pound,  being  a  top  one  anotlicr.  Aljout  this  time  Cromwell  was 
on  horseback  at  the  gate,  with  his  guard,  expecting  the  gates  to  be, 
opened  by  those  entered,  until  he  saw  those  in  the  breach  beaten  back 
and  heard  the  cannons  going  off  within.  Then  he  fell  off,  as  much 
vexed  as  ever  he  was  since  he  first  put  on  a  helmet  against  the  King, 
for  such  a  repulse  he  did  not  usually  meet  with." 

So  great  was  the  slaughter  that  thj  infantry  refused  to  advance  a 
second  time.  Cromwell  ai:)pealed  to  the  cavalry.  Amongst  the  fust 
who  responded  to  his  call  was  Lieutenant  Charles  Langley.  He  was 
followed  by  Colonel  Sankey,  and  one  of  the  sons  of  John  Cooke, 
whose  services  in  pleading  againt  Charles  I.  had  been  rewarded  with 
the  chief  justiceship  of  Munster.  The  troopers  imitated  the  conduct 
of  their  officers,  and  in  this  way  a  second  storming  party  was  formed, 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Culin.  Langley  put  himself  at  the 
head  of  the  dismounted  cavalry.  Sankey  seems  to  have  directed  the 
assault.  Cromwell's  soldiers  displayed  an  energy  and  bravery  worthy 
of  their  former  fame.  Their  onset  was  so  fierce  that  the  Irish  w^ere 
driven  from  the  breach.  The  assailants  made  their  way  to  the  east- 
ern breastwork,  op])osite  the  breach  ;  but  there  they  were  exposed  to 
the  galling  cross-fire  from  the  neighboring  houses.  Colonel  Culin 
and  several  of  his  officers  fell.  Langley  strove  to  mount  the  wall. 
His  left  hand  was  cut  off  by  a  blow  of  a  scythe.^     Determined  at  all 

'  Lingard  says  the  storming  took  place  May  9th. 

'  Hall's  rrclaiid,  vol.  ii.  \>.  90;  Taylor's  Civil  Wars,  vol.  ii.  p.  3S.  He  liad  afterwards 
an  iron  hand  made,  into  which  he  used  to  thrust  the  stump  to  hold  ihc  bridle.     Hence  the 


19G 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 


hazards  to  gain  the  i)lacc,  Cromwell  continued  to  pour  masses  of 
troops  into  the  breach,  the  hinder  ranks  pushing  on  those  before 
them.  For  four  hours  the  sLiughter  continued.  By  that  time  the 
o-reater  part  of  the  assailants  were  killed  or  wounded.  The  survivors 
were  forced  to  retreat,  leaving  2,odo  of  their  companions  dead.^  Of 
the  officers  Colonel  Culham,  Captains  Jordan  and  Humphries,  and 
some  others  were  slain  ;  Lieutenant-Colonels  Grey  and  Lee,  and  many, 
more  wounded.  With  much  entreaty  he  persuaded  them  to  lodge 
that  night  under  the  walls,  that  the  siege  might  be  believed  not  abso- 
lutely to  be  quitted.  Their  seconds  and  comrades,  seeing  what 
happened,  retired  ;  neither  the  threats  of  the  General  nor  the  bloody 
sword  of  the  inferior  officers  was  sufficient  to  keep  them  from  turning 
tail  to  the  assault.  Unable  to  conceal  his  admiration  of  the  defenders' 
gallant  conduct,  he  declared  they  were  invincible.  Knowing  that  any 
further  attempt  would  so  weaken  his  army  that  it  might  be  annihilated 
by  a  sally  of  the  garrison,  he  ordered  a  retreat  to  be  sounded,  and 
withdrew  to  his  camp,  leaving  O'Neill  in  full  possession  of  the  breach. 
It  is  even  said  that  he  had  ordered  the  army  to  march  away  and 
abandon  the  place,  when  he  espied  something  in  the  grass,  which  he 
took  up  and  found  to  be  a  silver  bullet.  This  incident  suggested  to 
him  the  straits  to  which  the  garrison  was  reduced.  He  determined 
to  return  and  call  in  the  detachments  of  his,  army  from  the  neighbor- 
ing garrisons,  though  a  reinforcement  had  just  reached  him  from 
England  of  a  regiment  of  foot  and  260  horse,  and  by  changing  the 
siege  into  a  blockade  to  try  what  famine  could  do. 

Ormonde  was  much  delighted  at  the  news  of  O'Neill's  successful 
defence.  Fortune  seemed,  at  length,  inclined  to  favor  the  royal  cause. 
But  a  message  soon  after  reached  him  that  the  ammunition  of  the 
garrison  was  nearly  spent.  In  truth  O'Neill  could  resist  no  longer. 
For  nearly  two  months  he  had  held  out.  His  provisions  were  now 
exhausted  ;  his  ammunition  was  now  failing.^  "  The  siege  at  distance 
and  close  being  about  five  or  six  weeks,  and  by  several  sallies  out  and 
on  the  walls  several  of  these  within  were  lost,  but  many  wounded 
and  sick  ;  on  which  the  Major-General  consulted  with  his  officers  ; 
and  seeing  that  their  ammunition  was  gone,  concluded  to  leave  the 
town  without  Cromwell's  leave.  And  so  at  nightfall  he  imparted  the 
same  to  the  mayor,  one  White,  and  advised  him,  after  he  was  gone 
half  a  dozen  miles  off,  as  he  might  guess,  to  send  privately  out  to 
Cromwell  for  leave  to  speak  to  him  about  conditions  for  the  town,  but 
not  to  make  mention  of  himself  on  any  account  till  he  had  done.     After 


sobriquet  given  him  of  "Langley  of  the  Iron  Hand."  It  is  said  that  a  silver  hand  was 
buried  with  him.  The  iron  hand  is  still  in  tlie  possession  of  George  Langley,  Es(|.,  of  Coal- 
brook,  county  Tipperary.  He  has  also  ihc  jeu  tVesprit  given  in  Appendix  x.  The  author 
is  not  known  ;  from  the  style  of  the  handwriting  it  must  be  at  least  a  century  old. 

'  According  to  M'Geoghegan's  Hist,  of  Ireland,  p.  574,  and  ISorlase's  Rcl<f!lwn,  p.  240, 
his  losses  amounted  to  2,500.  Carte  gives  2,000  of  his  best  men  as  the  number  slain  at  the 
storming.  Life  0/ Ormo?ide,  vol.  ii.  p.  115.  Ware  gives  the  same  number.  Antiq.,  Gest. 
Ilib.,  p.  183.  The  "  Relatio  "  says  "  he  lost  more  than  2,000  men  before  Clonmel,  a  greater 
number  than  he  had  lost  by  al'  'he  towns  which  he  had  stormed  and  taken  since  he  came  to 
Ireland. 

2  Preston,  who  commanaed  at  Waterford,  had  promised  to  send  him  ammunition, 
but  had  failed  to  do  so. 


CROMWELL   ly  IRELAND.  107 


which  advice  to  the  mayor,  he  marches  away  with  Iiis  men,  ahout  two 
hours  after  nightfall,  and  passed  over  the  river  undiscovered  by  the 
guard  of  horse  that  lay  at  the  other  side  of  the  bridge  ;  and  he  made 
no  great  halt  till  he  reached  to  a  town  called  Ballynasack,  twelve 
miles  from  Clonmel,  where  he  refreshed  his  men. 

Then  the  Mayor,  according  as  he  was  advised,  about  twelve  o'clock 
at  night  sent  out  to  Cromwell,  very  privately  for  a  conduct  to  wait 
upon  his  Excellency  ;  which  forthwith  was  sent  to  him,  and  an  officer 
to  conduct  him  from  the  wall  to  CronnveH's  tent  ;  who,  after  some 
compliments,  was  not  long  capitulating,  when  he  got  good  conditions 
for  the  town  :  such,  in  a  manner  as  they  desired. 

After  which  Cromwell  asked  him  if  Hugh  O'Neill  knew  of  his 
coming  out  ;  to  which  he  answered  he  did  not,  for  that  he  was  gone 
two  hours  after  nightfall  with  all  his  men,  at  which  Cromwell  stared 
and  frowned  at  him,  and  said  :  "You  knave,  have  you  served  me  so, 
and  did  not  tell  me  so  before  1  "  To  which  the  Mayor  replied  :  "If 
his  Excellency  had  demanded  the  question,  he  would  tell  him."  Then 
he  asked  him  what  that  Duff  O'Neill  was  ;  to  which  the  mayor  an- 
swered, that  he  was  an  over-the-sea  soldier,  born  in  Spain.  On  which 
Cromwell  said,  "  G — d  d — n  you  and  your  over-sea  !  "  and  desired  the 
Mayor  to  give  the  paper  back  again.  To  which  the  other  answered, 
that  he  hoped  his  fixccllency  would  not  break  his  conditions  or  take 
them  from  him,  which  was  not  the  repute  his  Excellency  had,  but  to 
perform    whatsoever    he    had    promised.     On    which    Cromwell    was 

somewhat  calm,  but  said  in  a  fury,  "  By  G above,  he  would  follow 

that  Hugh  Duff  O'Neill  wheresoever  he  went." 

Then  the  Mayor  delivered  the  keys  of  the  gates  to  Cromwell, 
who  immediately  commanded  guards  on  them,  and  next  morning  him- 
self entered,  where  he  saw  his  men  killed  in  the  pound  ;  notwithstand- 
ing which  and  his  fury  that  Hugh  Duff  went  off  as  he  did,  he  kept 
his  conditions  with  the  town."  ^ 

Some  of  his  officers  strove  to  persuade  him  that  O'Neill's  escape 
was  a  breach  of  the  articles  ;  and  that  being  overreached  he  v.'as  not 
bound  to  grant  such  favorable  terms  to  the  town.  Cromwell  rebuked 
them  and  declared  the  townsmen  deserved  to  be  highly  commended 
for  their  gallantry.  Other  writers,  however,  say  that  Cromwell  dis- 
covering the  trick  in  the  morning,  was  vexed,  and  sent  some  troops 
to  pursue  the  garrison  in  the  rear.  They  had  got  out  of  reach,  having 
in  the  night  passed  the  hills  and  most  difficult  ways  ;  but  the  Crom- 
wellians  overtaking  many  straggling,  who,  by  reason  of  their  wounds 
and  other  hindrances,  stayed  behind,  among  whom  there  were  not  a 
few  women,  put  them  all  without  mercy  to  the  sword. ^  "They  had 
like  to  bring  my  nobles  to  nine  pence,"  he  exclaimed. ■''     "  Cromwell,'' 

'  T/ie  War  of  Jrelatid,  p.  109.  The  author  of  the  Aphcr,  Disc,  however,  says  "the 
inlial)itaiits  were  rifled,  pillaged  and  plundered  without  respect  of  i)ersons  or  mercy  of 
degree." 

*  Bate's  Ehnchus,  ^'c,  vol.  ii.  p.  38.  "After  the  signing  of  the  conditions  we  dis- 
covered the  enemy  to  be  gone,  and  very  early  the  next  morning  pur.sucd  them  and  fell  upon 
th  ir  rear  of  stragglers,  and  killed  about  two  hundred  of  them."  Letter  of  an  eye-witness 
and  hand-actor  from  Clonmel.      May  10th,  1650,  in  Cromwelliatia,  p.  81. 

•''  This  jiroverb  owes  its  existence  in  great  part  to  its  alliteration.  Some  coins  of  these 
denominations  were    struck    during    the  Usurpation,  but    long  before  the  base  testoons  of 


198  CROMWELL    IX  I  RELAX!). 

says  Whitelocke,  "  found  at  Clonmel  the  stoutest  enemy  his  army  had 
ever  met  with  in  Ireland  ;  and  never  was  seen  so  hot  a  storm  of  so 
long  continuance  and  so  gallantly  defended,  neither  in  England  nor  in 
Ireland."  From  thence  O'Neill  and  his  party  marched  to  Waterford, 
hoping  to  obtain  admittance  there  ;  but  Preston,  who  had  command 
of  that  city,  refused  them  permission.  Besides,  the  plague  was  within 
the  town.  He  remained  in  the  neighborhood  for  some  time  ;  but  the 
plague  having  shown  itself  among  his  men,  and  his  forces  decreasing 
daily,  he  advised  his  foot  to  look  to  themselves  as  best  they  could. 
He  and  Major  Fennell  took  the  shortest  route  they  could  to  Limerick.^ 
Some  further  details  are  given  in  a  letter  of  S.  Dillingham  to  Mr. 
Bancroft. 

"  In  the  taking  of  Clonmel  you  may  think  we  paid  dear.  Having  lain  longbefoie 
it,  and  in  the  meantime  taken  Kilkenny,  much  loss  by  sallies  being  sustained,  an  on- 
slaught was  resolved.  It  was  done  with  much  loss  and  the  town  carried.  But  the 
inner  intrenchments,  devised  by  the  governor,  a  kinsman  of  O'Neill's,  cost  far 
dearer  gaining.  After  all  which,  they  were  by  main  force  cast  out  of  all,  and  with 
much  entreaty  of  Cromwell,  persuaded  to  lodge  that  night  under  the  walls,  that  their 
siege  might  be  believed  not  absolutely  to  be  quitted.  In  the  night,  little  powder  left 
tt>  aefend,  all  was  drawn  away,  persons  and  things  worth  anything. 

"Cromwell  himself  says  he  doubted  of  getting  on  the  soldiers  ne.xt  day  to  afresh 
assault.  Towards  morning  a  parley  beat,  and  was  gladly  received;  so  that  con- 
ditions were  granted  to  their  desires,  not  being  above  eighty  defendants  in  all,  of  two 
thousand  five  hundred.  They  were  mad  when  they  came  in,  and  sending  to  pursue, 
cut  off  two  hundred  women  and  children  Since  a  review  of  their  force,  which  con- 
sisted of  all  the  strength  they  could  make,  their  troopers  dismounted  to  boot,  near 
all  the  officers  of  Ireton's  regiment  are  wanting  ;  and  you  may  guess  shrewdly  at 
Hercules  by  his  foot ;  and  the  business  is  at  this  pass,  that  he  that  undertook  to 
have  Ireland  at  his  command  so  by  last  Michaelmas  as  a  child  should  keep  it  under 
with  a  rod,  can't  now  assure  his  soldiers  two  miles  from  home  and  promise  them  a 
safe  return. 

T/ie  Articles  made  between  the  Lot d Ltentena7it  and  the  inltabiianfs  of  Clonmel 
iojiching  i/ie  rendition  thereof,  May  \Zth,  1650. 

It  is  granted  and  agreed  by  and  betwixt  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  General  Cromwell, 
on  the  one  part,  and  Mr.  Michael  White  and  Mr.  Nicholas  15etts,  Commissioners 
entrusted  in  the  behalf  of  the  town  and  garrison  of  Clonmel,  on  the  other  part,  as 
follows :  — 

1st.  Tlie  said  town  and  garrison  of  Clonmel,  with  the  arms,  anmiunition,  and 
other  furniture  of  war  that  are  now  therein,  shall  be  surrendered  and  delivered  up 
into  the  hands  of  his  Excellency,  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  by  eight  of  the  clock  this 
morning. 

2d.  That,  in  consideration  thereof,  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  town  shall  be  pro- 
tected, their  lives  and  estates,  from  all  plunder  and  violence  of  the  soldiery,  and 
siiall  have  the  same  right,  liberty,  and  protection  as  other  subjects,  under  the 
authority  of  the  Parliament  of  England,  have,  or  ought  to  have,  and  enjoy  within  the 
dominion  of  Ireland. 

O.  Cromwell. 


Henry  VIII.  and  Edward  VI.,  by  proclamation  of  July  9th,   ir5i,  were   maile  to  pass  for 
nine  pence,  their  original  value  being  twelve  pence. 

• '  The  soldiers  who  were  in  Clonmel  fled  to  Waterford,  and  were  there  denied  admit- 
tance.    Only  Hugh  Duff  O'NeiU  and  two  or  three  other  commanders  were  admitted.  i 


C ROM  WELL   IV  ] RELAX!).  199 


The  townsmen  strove  to  make  conditions  for  Ormonde  and  Inchi- 
quin,  but  they  were  refused.  Passes,  however,  were  offered  them  to 
go  beyond  the  sea,  which  they  would  not  take  ;  but  the  Lord  of  Ardes 
and  others  of  quality  took  them.^  Sankey  was  made  governor  of  the 
town  and  of  the  county  of  Tipperary. 

Details  are  wanting  of  the  events  that  followed  the  surrender. 
The  history  of  the  preceding  sieges  will  help  our  readers  to  fill  up 
the  void  without  much  difficulty,  and  to  conjecture  what  took  place. 
The  learned  author  of  liibcrnia  Doiniiiicaua  gives  the  following  ac- 
count of  the  death  of  two  holy  priests  of  the  order  at  this  time. 

"  Father  James  O'Reilly  was  a  learned  theologian,  an  eloquent  preacher,  and  a 
famous  poet.  He  had  been  sent  a  short  time  before  from  Waterford  to  Clonmel,  to 
train  the  youth  of  the  town  in  polite  learning  and  in  tlie  Christian  doctrine. 
When  the  garrison  abandoned  tlie  town,  he,  too,  s^ought  safety  in  flight.  Not  know' 
ing  whither  the  road  led,  he  wandered  about  and  fell  in  with  a  troop  of  Puritan 
cavalry.  Tliey  asked  him  who  he  was.  He  replied  fearlessly  :  '  I  ani  a  jiriesl  and  a 
rcligicux,  albeit  an  unworthy  one,  of  the  Order  of  .St.  Dominic.  I  have  lost  my 
way,  and  while  trying  to  escape  you,  I  have  fallen  into  your  hands.  I  am  a  mem]:ier 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  Apostolic  Church.  .So  have  I  lived,  and  so  will  I  die.  May 
C.od's  willbe  done."  Tiic  soldiers  fell  on  him  and  covered  him  with  wounds.  I-^or 
a  whole  hour  he  lay  weltering  in  liis  blood  ;  he  did  not  cease  to  invoke  the  holy 
names  of  Jesus  and  Mary,  and  to  beseech  his  patron  saints  to  aid  him  in  his  last 
struggle. _  At  length,  exhausted  by  his  numerous  wounds,  the  holy  martyr  gave  up  1 
his  soul."' 

"  I'ather  Myler  Magrath  was  put  to  death  after  the  capture  of  the  town.  He 
came  to  Clonmel  to  give  the  consolations  of  religion  to  those  who  should  need 
them.  He  was  seized,  while  engaged  in  his  holy  work,  by  the  bedside  of  a  sick  man. 
The  Governor's  satellites  hurried  him  off  to  their  master's  presence.  His  trial  was 
a  brief  one.     He  was  condemned  to  death,  and  hanged  immediately  after." 

During  the  siege  F.  Nicholas  Mulcahy,  Parish  Priest  of .  Ard- 
finan,  in  the  county  of  Tipperary,  was  seized  by  a  troop  of  Cromwell's 
cavalry,  that  had  been  sent  out  to  reconnoitre.  Immediately  on  his 
arrest  he  was  put  in  irons,  conveyed  to  the  camp  of  the  besiegers 
and  offered  his  pardon,  if  he  would  only  consent  to  use  his  influence 
with  the  inhabitants  of  Clonmel  and  induce  them  to  give  up  the 
town.  But  he  steadily  refused,  and  was,  in  consequence,  led  out  in 
view  of  the  besieged  city,  and  there  beheaded  wdtilst  he  knelt  in 
prayer  for  his  faithful  people,  and  asked  forgiveness  for  his  enemies. 

About  this  time  Richard  Magner,  who  had  joined  the  party  of 
the  Catholic  Confederates,  went  to  Clonmel  to  make  his  submission 
to  the  Parliament.  Cromwell  had  been  duly  informed  of  his  previ- 
ous conduct  ;  yet  he  received  him  with  much  kindness,  and  promising 
him  protection,  gave  him  a  letter  to  Colonel  Phayre,  the  governor  of 
Cork.  The  letter  contained  an  order  to  execute  the  bearer.  Magner, 
distrusting  this  show  of  friendship,  opened  the  letter.  As  soon  as 
he  had  read  it,  he  closed  it  and  sealed  it  carefully.  He  set  off  to 
Mallow  without  delay  and  handed  it  to  the  governor  of  the  town, 
against  whotti  he  bore  a  grudge,  informing  him  that  Cromwell  wished 


'  Whitelockc,  p.  439.  In  April  the  Lord  of  Ardcs,  Lord  Moore,  and  Colonel  Trevor, 
came  from  the  Irish  cjuariers  to  Cromwell  at  Clonmel,  soon  after  he  had  taken  that  town,  to 
render  themselves  to  him,  as  being  persons  of  great  note  and  eminence  in  the  kingdom,  and 
the  front  of  quality  of  all  the  Protestant  party  that  came  from  the  Irish  army  unto  them. 


200  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 

him  to  be  the  bearer  of  the  letter  to  Phayre.  Not  suspecting  any 
deceit,  this  officer  presented  the  letter  in  due  time.  He  was  saved 
from  deatii,  however,  Phayre  having  made  the  facts  known  to  Crom- 
well before  carrying  out  the  order.  Magner's  lands  were  given  to 
Bretridge,  and  from  him  they  passed  through  the  Hartstonges  into 
the  possession  of  the  present  Earl  of  Limerick.  The  ruins  of  the 
old  family  residence  are  still  to  be  seen  about  six  miles  to- the  west  of 
Mallow. 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  20] 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

CROMWELL    LEAVES    IRELAND, 

His  last  Pul)lic  Act  in  Ireland  —  Pass  to  Lord  ^To^le  —  Recall  of  Cromwell  —  Troubles  in 
Scotland  —  Fairfax — -Cronnvell  Sails  fron\  Youghal — Reception  in  London — His 
Speech  in  Parliament. 

The  last  public  act  of  Cromwell,  of  which  an  account  has  reached 
us,  was  the  indicting  of  the  following  letter  of  protection  to  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Dublin.     It  was  dated  May  22d  :^ 

The  Lord  Viscount  ?iIoore  •'  having  bad  passes  from  me  to  repair  to  Mellifont,  in 
llie  county  of  Louth,  and  there  to  reside  during  the  space  of  six  months  next  ensu- 
ing, I  desire  you  tliat  the  said  Lord  Moore,  during  bis  stay  at  Mellifont,  and  if  he 
siiall  during  tlie  said  time  have  occasion  to  repair  to  Dublin  to  the  Commission 
there,  maybe  fairly  and  civilly  treated,  and  that  no  incivility  or  abuse  be  offered 
unto  him  bv  any  of  the  soldiery,  either  by  restraining  of  his  liberty  or  otherwise,  it 
being  a  thing  which  I  altogether  disapprove  and  dislike  that  the  soldiers  should  in- 
termeddle in  civil  affairs  farther  than  they  are  lawfully  called  upon.  A'our  care 
herein  will  oblige  the  said  Lord,  in  relation  to  his  present  condition,  and  will  be  ac- 
cepted by 

Your  loving  friend, 

O.  Cromwell. 

The  danger  on  the  side  of  Scotland  was  growing  greater  each 
day,  and  the  demands  of  the  Parliament  for  Cromwell's  return  became 
more  urgent.  His  successes  in  Ireland  pointed  him  out  as  the  one 
man  who  could  meet  the  enemy  in  the  held  and  crush  every  attempt 
at  rebellion.  On  the  8th  of  January  preceding,  the  Parliament  had 
ordered  "  that  the  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland  be  desired  to  come 
over  and  give  his  attendance,  and  that  the  Council  of  State  prepare 
a  letter,  to  be  signed  by  the  Speaker  and  sent  to  the  Lord  Lieuten- 
ant for  that  purpose,  as  also  to  thank  him  for  his  great  services  and 
faithfulness  to  the  Commonwealth."  "  The  ground  of  this  resolution 
was,"  adds  Whitelocke,  "that  the  news  of  the  King's  coming  to  Scot- 
land became  more  probable  than  formerly,  and  the  Scots'  proceedings 
in  the  rising  of  new  forces  gave  an  alarm  to  the  parliament  ;  and  some 

'  This  letter  was  formerly  in  the  possession  of  Dean  Swift. 

2  This  was   Henry,   third  Viscount  Drogheda.      His  father,  Charles,   the   second  Vis- 
count, took  a  leading  ]iart  in    rai-ing  forces  to  oppose  the  Irish  in    1641,  and  had  the  com- 
mand of  the  hcrse  when  Drogheda  was  besieged  by  Sir  Phelim  O'Neill.     He  was  killed  by 
a  cannon-shot  at  Portlester,  in  1643  ;  his  death  gave  rise  to  the  following  y>»  cf  esprit . 
Contra  Ronianos  mores,  res  mira,  dynasta 
Moms  ah  Eugenio  canonisatus  erat. 
His  son  Henry  took  the  King's  side  in  the  Civil  War  ;  but  in  1647.  on  the  surrender  of  the 
government   by  Ormonde,  he   left  the    Royalists   and  got    the  command  of  a  regiment  from 
the  parliament.     For   two  years   he  continued  in  the  service  of  this  party;  but  immediately 
before  Cromwell's  arrival  he  "ran  off  to  the  enemy."     Perfect  Diurnal,  July  6th,  1649.     ■'" 
iVpril    he  surrendered    to  Cromwell.      He  was    restored    to   his  estate  in    1653.     After  the 
Restoration  he  was  was  made  an  earl. 


200  CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND. 

of  their  members  who  had  discoursed  with  the  late  General  (Fairfax) 
on  these  matters,  and  argued  how  requisite  it  would  be  to  send  an 
army  into  Scotland,  found  the  General  wholly  averse  to  any  such 
thing  ;  and,  by  the  means  of  his  lady,  a  strict  Presbyterian,  to  be 
more  a  friend  to  the  Scots  than  they;  that,  therefore,  they  thought 
this  a  fitting  time  to  send  for  the  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  and  the 
rather,  his  army  being  now  drawn  into  winter  quarters." 

In  a  letter  to  the  Speaker  of  the  parliament  from  Carrick,  dated 
April  2d,  he  says  : — "I  have  received  divers  private  intimations  of 
your  pleasure  to  have  me  come  in  person  to  wait  on  you  in  England  ; 
as  also  copies  of  the  votes  of  parliament  to  that  purpose.  But,  consid- 
ering the  way  they  came  to  me  was  but  by  private  intimations,  and  the 
votes  did  refer  to  a  letter  to  be  signed  by  the  Speaker,  I  thought  it  would 
have  been  too  much  forwardness  in  me  to  have  left  my  charge  here 
until  the  said  letter  came,  it  being  not  fit  for  me  to  prophesy  whether 
the  letter  would  be  an  absolute  command,  or  having  limitations  with 
a  liberty  left  by  the  parliament  to  me  to  consider  in  what  way  to  yield 
my  obedience.  Your  letter  came  to  my  hands  upon  the  22d  of  March, 
the  same  day  that  I  came  before  the  city  of  Kilkenny,  and  when  I 
was  near  the  same.  And  I  understood  by  Dr.  Cartwright,  who  de- 
livered it  to  me,  that  reason  of  cross-winds  and  the  want  of  shipping 
in  the  West  of  England,  where  he' was,  hindered  him  from  coming 
with  it  sooner,  it  bearing  date  the  8th  of  January,  and  not  coming 
to  my  hands  till  the  22d  of  March.  The  letter  supposed  your  army 
in  winter  quarters  and  the  time  of  year  not  suitable  for  present 
action  ;  making  this  as  the  reason  for  your  command.  And  your 
forces  have  been  in  action  ever  since  the  29th  of  January  ;  and  your 
letter,  which  was  to  be  the  rule  of  my  obedience,  coming  to  my  hands 
after  our  having  been  so  long  in  action,  with  respects  had  to  the 
reasons  you  were  pleased  to  use  therein,  I  knew  not  what  to  do.  And 
having  received  a  letter  signed  by  yourself  of  the  26th  of  February, 
which  mentions  not  a  word  of  the  continuance  of  your  pleasure  con- 
cerning my  coming  over,  I  did  humbly  conceive  it  much  consisting 
with  my  duty,  humbly  to  beg  a  positive  signification  what  your  will  is, 
professing  (as  before  the  Lord)  that  I  am  most  ready  to  obey  your 
commands  herein  with  all  alacrity,  rejoicing  only  to  be  about  that 
work  which  I  am  called  to  by  those  whom  God  hath  set  over  me, 
which  I  acknowledge  you  to  be,  and  fearing  only  in  obeying  you  to 
disobey  you.  I  most  humbly  and  earnestly  beseech  you  to  judge  for 
me,  whether  your  letter  doth  not  naturally  allow  me  the  liberty  of 
begging  a  more  clear  expression  of  your"  comm.and  and  pleasure, 
which,  when  vouchsafed  unto  me,  will  find  most  ready  acceptance  and 
cheerful  observance." 

On  the  2ist  of  April,  Hugh  Peters  wrote  from  Pembroke; 
"  Yesternight  the  President  frigate  set  sail  from  Milford  towards  Ire- 
land, to  attend  his  Excellency's  pleasure,  being  sent  to  fetch  the  Lord 
Lieutenant  Cromwell  over  unto  England,  if  he  thinks  fit  to  come. 
The  letters  from  the  Council  of  State  were  carried  over  in  her, 
directed  to  his  Excellency,  with  Mr.  Jenkin  Loyd,  his  chaplain.  God 
send  them  a  safe  arrival.     Captain  Evans  went  over  from  hence  last 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND.  203 

nic;ht,  and  about  thirty  horse  with  him  for  Ireland.  Watcrford,  Lim- 
eriek  and  Galway  were  still  in  the  hands  of  the  Irish  rebels  ;  and  ht 
would  fain  try  whether  the  same  good  luck  that  had  accompanied 
him  hitherto  might  not  attend  him  for  a  few  months  more.  But  the 
affairs  of  Scotland  had  become  more  pressing,  and  the  new  letters 
from  the  parliament  left  no  room  now  to  doubt  what  was  its  supreme 
will.  He  surrendered  the  command  of  the  army  to  Ireton,  his  major- 
general,  who  already  held  the  appointment  of  President  of  Munstcr, 
and  on  the  29th  of  May  he  set  sail  from  Youghal  to  England.^  He 
had  been  little  more  than  nine  months  in  Ireland,  having  landed  in 
Dublin  on  the  15th  of  August. 

He  landed  at  Bristol  after  a  boisterous  voyage.  "  There  he  was 
received  with  all  honors  and  acclamations,  the  great  guns  firing 
thrice."  On  the  31st  he  reached  London.  As  soon  as  it  was  known 
that  he  was  aj^proaching,  the  Lord  General  Fairfax,  many  members 
of  parliament  and  officers  of  the  army,  and  a  multitude  of  ]")cople 
went  out  to  Ilounslow  Heath  to  meet  him,  and  to  see  him  who  had 
made  himself  so  famous  and  acquired  such  high  renown  by  his  great 
and  valorous  actions.  As  he  approached  the  city,  the  whole  of  the 
inhabitants  turned  out  to  give  him  a  hearty  welcome.  At  Hyde  Park 
the  Lord  Mayor  and  the  train-bands  were  waiting  for  him.  He  was 
saluted  with  great  guns  and  a  volley  of  shot  from  Colonel  Barkstcad's 
regiment,  which  was  drawn  up  for  the  jiurpose.  As  he  was  passing 
by  Tyburn,  some  .sycophant  near  having  said,  "  What  a  crowd  has 
come  out  to  see  your  Lordship's  triumph  !  "  "  Yes,"  he  replied,  with 
a  smile,  "but  if  it  were  to  see  me  hanged,  how  many  more  would 
there  comc.''"^  From  thence  to  St.  James's  Palace,  where  he  was 
to  lodge.  Being  conducted  to  the  Cockpit,  which  had  been  prepared 
for  his  reception,  the  Lord  Mayor  and  aldermen  of  London  visited 
him  and  complimented  him  ;  most  of  the  persons  of  quality,  the 
members  of  parliament,  and  officers  of  the  army  about  the  town  paid 
their  visits  to  him,  and  congratulated  him  on  his  safe  arrival,  after  so 
many  dangers  by  sea  and  by  land,  wherein  God  had  preserved  him, 
and  the  wonderful  successes  He  had  given  him.^ 

In  the  record  of  the  proceedings  of  parliament,  under  the  date 
of  June  4th,  we  read:  "This  day  Cromwell,  the  parliamentary  victo- 
rious General  and  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  took  his  seat  in  the 
House,  when  the  Speaker  did,  by  order  of  the  House,  give  thanks  in 
an  eloquent  oration  for  his  great  and  faithful  services  unto  the  parlia- 
ment and  commonwealth,  setting  forth  the  great  providence  of  God  in 

1  The  autlior  of  the  A/'hor.  Disc,  s.iys  that  after  jnitting  a  garrison  to  liold  Clonniel, 
he  marched  with  ail  ex|)edition  to  Waterford,  to  recover  lliere  wliat  by  Hugh  O'Neill  he 
had  lost  at  Clonmel.  On  arriving  there  he  encamped  l)efore  the  town  ;  but  he  had  scarce 
encamped  there  when  he  receivecl  commands  from  England  to  appear  there  on  sight.  Vol. 
ii.  p.  79. 

'^  On  Cromwell  s  expedition  to  Scotland,  when  followed  by  the  acclamations  of  the 
assembled  ])opulace,  Lambert  turned  to  him  and  expressed  his  gratification  that  the  nation 
was  so  evidently  on  their  side.  "  Dcin't  trust  them."  said  Cromwell;  "  these  very  persons 
would  shout  as  much  if  we  were  going  to  be  hanged." 

8  Cromwell  returned  to  London  in  the  month  of  May,  and  was  received  by  the  parlia- 
ment and  the  jieople,  as  a  soldier  who  had  gained  more  laurels,  and  done  more  wonders,  in 
nine  months  than  any  age  of  history    could  parallel. 


20-i  CROMWELL   IK  IRELAND. 


those  great  and  strange  works  which  God  had  wrought  by  him  as  the 
instrument."  After  which  the  Lord  Lieutenant  gave  them  a  full  and 
particular  account  of  the  present  state  and  condition  of  the  kingdom. 
And  on  the  nth  of  June  :  "All  the  members  of  the  Flouse  having 
been  required  to  give  their  attendance  this  day  by  nine  in  the  morn- 
ing, General  Cromwell,  standing  up  in  his  place  in  the  House,  made  a 
narrative  of  the  state  of  the  garrisons  and  forces  of  the  enemy  in 
Ireland  and  their  interest  there,  and  likewise  of  the  parliament's  forces 
in  garrison  and  in  the  field  and  their  condition  ;  in  what  employment 
they  were,  and  under  what  commands  ;  at  the  end  of  which  it  was 
resolved  — That  it  be  referred  to  the  Council  of  State  to  take  care  of 
sending  such  speedy  supplies  of  money  for  Ireland  as  shall  be  neces- 
sary for  the  carrying  out  of  that  work,  and  to  see  what  money  there 
is  in  the  present  view  that  can  be  made  effectual  for  that  service,  and 
how  the  obstructions  against  bringing  it  may  be  removed  ;  also  to  con- 
sider by  what  means  the  reduction  and  settlement  of  Ireland  may  be 
perfected  to  the  best  advantage  and  the  futurage  of  the  charge  of  this 
commonwealth." 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  205 


CROMWELL  IN  IRELAND: 

CHAPTER   XXX. 

THE    BATTLE    OF    SCARIFFMOLLIS. 

Meeting  of  the  Officers  of  the  Ulster  Army — Ileber  McMahon  General  —  March  north- 
wards—  Plan  of  the  Campaign — Coote  and  Venablcs  —  The  Battle  —  Defeat  of  the 
Irish — Bravery  of  ITenry  O'Neill  —  Flight  of  McMahon — His  Death  — Death  of 
Henry  and  Colonel   Phelim  O'Neill. 

Owen  Roe  O'Neill  died  November  6th,  1649.  On  the  8th  of 
March  following,  the  officers  of  the  Ulster  army  and  the  nobility  and 
gentry  of  Ulster.  "  mourning  the  death  of  their  General,  feeling  his 
now  want,  and  not  to  be  as  a  flock  without  a  pastor,  their  dispersed 
soldiers  and  cominanders  flocking  home  by  degrees,"  met  at  Bclturbet 
to  elect  a  commander  in  his  place.  In  the  articles  of  the  treaty  made 
between  him  and  Ormonde  it  was  provided  that,  in  case  of  O'Neill's 
death  or  removal  by  advancement  or  otherwise  before  any  settlement 
in  parliament,  the  nobility  and  gentry  of  the  Province  of  Ulster 
should  have  power  to  name  to  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  and  the  command 
was  to  be  given  according  to  the  person  so  named. 

The  candidates  for  the  post  were  the  Marquis  of  Antrim,  Sir 
Phelim  O'Neill,  Lieutenant-General  Ferrall,  Owen  Roe's  son  Henrv, 
and  Heber  Mac  Mahon,  bishop  of  Clogher.  Ormonde,  from  whom 
the  person  elected  should  receive  his  commission,  protested  against 
Antrim,  as  being  known  to  favor  Cromwell.  The  nobility  and 
gentry,  as  well  as  Ormonde,  favored  Daniel  O'Neill  ;  but  he,  consid- 
ering himself  disqualified  from  the  fact  of  his  being  a  Protestant,  had 
gone  a  short  time  before  to  Kilkenny,  and  expressed  a  wish  that  the 
choice  might  fall  on  Major-General  Hugh  O'Neill,  then  absent  in 
Clonmel,  as  "  being  a  man  who  knew  the  ways  Owen  Roe  O'Neill 
took  to  manage  the  people,  and  one  not  unacceptable  to  the  Scots,  and 
who  would  do  nothing  contrary  to  Ormonde's  command."  The  Bishop 
of  Kilmore  presided.  He  had  the  articles  of  the  treaty  between 
Ormonde  and  Owen  Roe  read  over.  "  Many  competitors  did  appear," 
says  the  author  of  the  Apliorisuial  Discovery;  "everyone  thought 
himself  worthy  of  that  place.  The  Marquis  of  Antrim  was  an  earnest 
suitor  in  proper  behalf.  The  O'Neills  thought  their  claims  for  the 
chiefry  and  command  of  Ulster  to  be  hereditary.  Lieutenant-General 
Ferrall,  by  the  law  of  arms,  was  confident  of  his  title,  as  next  in  com- 
mand to  the  defunct ;  Hugh  O'Neill,  as  of  that  sept  and  Major-General, 
and  the  better  soldier  of  both  name  and  province  ;  Sir  Phelim 
O'Neill,  by  the  numcrosity  of  his  followers,  and  with  pregnant  hopes 
of  being  seconded  by  the  Leinster  Ormondian  faction  ;  Con  Mac 
Cormac  O'Neill,  heretofore  lieutenant-general  for  the  same  province. 


20G  CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


and  of  the  oldest  descent  of  that  family  ;  and  Philip  MacHugh 
O  Reilly,  a  good  Commonwealth's  man,  of  great  respect,  and  by  the 
plurality  of  his  name  and  followers  was  thought  to  carry  a  main  stroke 
on  the  election.  The  assembly,  wisely  considering  the  danger  that 
vas  likely  to  ensue  by  the  choosing  any  of  the  former  (nor  the  late 
general's  son,  Henry  Roe  O'Neill),  though  each  worthy  of  honor  and  of 
jetter  hopes  to  be  so  promoted  than  any  other  not  here  specified,  unan- 
imously chose  Heber  Mac  Mahon  for  the  post."  ^  Though  not  deficient 
in  personal  courage  or  in  zeal  for  the  cause  of  his  country,  Mac 
Mahon  was  not  equal  to  the  heavy  burden  laid  on  him.  The  training 
of  a  churchman  is  hardly  a  fit  school  in  which  to  learn  the  science  of 
war  ;  yet,  on  the  whole,  perhaps  no  better  choice  could  be  made. 
Jealousy  and  intrigue  were  at  work,  and  it  was  hoped  that  these 
would  cease,  and  that  all  would  follow  the  leadership  of  one  who  was 
known  to  have  had  the  confidence  of  O'Neill ^  and  to  be  heart  and 
soul  devoted  to  the  good  cause.  The  appointment  was  sanctioned  by 
Ormonde,  who  issued  a  commission  "  nominating  and  appointing  his 
trusty  and  well-beloved  Bishop  Heber  MacMahon  General  of  all  his 
Majesty's  forces  of  horse  and  foot  of  the  Province  of  Ulster."  "  It 
must  be  acknowledged,"  says  Borlase,  "  that  MacMahon  performed 
the  agreement  made  with  the  Marquis  and  observed  it  very  justly." 
Ferrall  was  at  the  same  time  confirmed  as  lieutenant-general.  Soon 
after  Mac  Mahon  put  himself  at  the  head  of  his  troops,  numbering 
about  5,000  foot  and  600  horse.  Recruits  flocked  to  his  standard; 
and  in  a  short  time,  owing  to  Ferrall's  exertions,  the  whole  army  was 
disciplined  and  ready  to  take  the  field.  The  plan  of  the  campaign 
was  communicated  to  Ormonde  and  Clanrickarde.  They  promised  to 
raise  forces  in  Connaught,  and  to  send  a  plentiful  supply  of  artillery 
and  provisions  ;  "  they  would  give  him  all  possible  assistance,  and  if 
he  brought  his  army  towards  Tyrconnell  they  would  send  a  consider- 
able army,  both  of  horse  and  foot,  with  ordnance  and  other  engines 
fit  for  the  winning  of  a  town  or  fort."  Relying  on  these  promises, 
the  army  set  out  from  Monaghan  and  marched  to  Charlemont ;  there 
the  Commander  issued  a  manifesto,  inviting  the  Scots,  who  were  serv- 
ing under  Coote  and  Venables,  to  make  common  cause  with  the  Irish 
and  enroll  themselves  under  the  royal  standard.  His  appeal  brought 
over  only  a  few  ;  the  majority  preferred  to  adhere  to  their  old  com- 
manders, though  these  refused  to  acluiowlcdge  the  newly  proclaimed 
King,  Mac  Mahon  knew  that  the  Irish  army  was  more  than  a  match 
for  either  Coote's  or  Venable's  forces  ;  he  determined,  therefore,  to 
prevent  their  union  and  to  crush  them  in  detail.  Some  time  was 
spent  in  skirmishing  and  in  the  taking  of  the  strongholds  garrisoned 
by  Coote.  Marching  northwards  along  the  Bann,  he  crossed  the 
Foyle  near  Lifford,  in  order  to  keep  open  the  communication  through 

^  As  for  the  ])isliop,  tlioiigh  a  good  politician,  he  was  no  more  a  soldier  fit  to  be  a  gen- 
eral than  one  of  Rome's  cardinals.  lie  had  been  Vicar  Apostolic  of  Clogher  for  four 
years  ;  in  1642  he  was  appointed  to  the  united  sees  of  Down  and  Connor  ;  a  year  after  lie 
was  transferred  to  Clogher,  to  enable  him  to  take  part  in  the  important  business  concerning 
the  kingdom  of  Ireland  with  thfe  other  prelates  and  lords. 

2  The  Bishop  of  Clogher,  Owen  Roe's  great  counsellor.  Borlase  says  he  was  Owen 
Roe's  chief  confident. 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND.  207 

Ballysliannon  with  Connaught  for  the  supplies  promised  by  Ormonde. 
This  fatal  movement  allowed  Coote  and  Venablcs  to  unite  their  forces 
near  Lctterkenny.  Mac  Mahon,  contrary  to  tlie  advice  of  his  officers, 
resolved  to  risk  a  battle.  In  vain  their  spokesman,  young  Henry 
O'Neill,  who  seemed  to  have  inherited  not  only  the  bravery  but  the 
•prudence  of  his  father  Owen  Roe,  pointed  out  to  him  that  the  Irish 
roops,  owing  to  the  nature  of  tlie  ground,  were  unfavorably  placed, 
nd  that  they  were  weakened  by  the  absence  of  a  large  body  that  had 
heen  detached  to  seize  Castle  Doe  ;  a  few  days  delay  would  ensure 
their  return,  and  oblige  the  enemy  to  retire  from  their  position,  as 
provisions  were  already  beginning  to  fail  them.  Mac  Mahon  replied 
by  taunts,  telling  them  that  such  arguments  were  not  suited  to  brave 
eoldiers,  but  rather  to  dastards  who  feared  the  sight  of  their  own  or 
of  others'  blood.  The  ill-merited  rebuke  had  the  fate  which  he  de- 
sired. "His  language  did  so  distemper  the. warlike  deportment  of 
these  heroes  that,  beyond  the  limits  of  reason  transported,  oblivious  of 
all  military  advantage  and  indifference  of  either  ground  or  elements, 
putting  themselves  in  a  distracted  posture  of  battle,  where  horse 
could  scare  relieve  the  foot,  both  wind  and  weather  not  their 
friends,  they  bade  their  men  prepare  for  battle." 

ICarly  the  next  day,  June  2ist,  the  fight  began.  The  fierce  onset 
of  the  Irish  at  first  produced  a  panic  among  the  enemy.  Unhappily, 
owing  to  the  rugged  nature  of  the  ground,  they  could  not  advance  in 
compact  masses,  nor  be  supported  by  the  cavalry.  The  enemy  were, 
therefore,  able  to  recover  from  their  terror  ;  a  charge  of  their  cavalry 
drove  back  the  Irish  and  restored  confidence  to  their  whole  army. 
The  battle  continued  until  mid-day,  when  a  combined  attack,  made 
by  the  whole  of  Coote's  forces  on  flank  and  rear,  obliged  Mac  Mahon 
to  retreat.  Tlie  infantry,  led  by  Ferrall.  fought  with  great  bravery. 
Henry  O'Neill  won  the  admiration  even  of  the  enemy,  "  dashing 
among  them  like  a  merlin  hawk  among  a  multitude  of  sparrows." 
Before  sunset  the  Irish  were  utterly  defeated.  "  This  was,"  says 
Borlase,  "a  most  happy  victory  for  the  parliament;  in  that  three 
tliousand  of  the  rebels  were  there  slain,  all  mere  Irish  ;  out  of  an 
opinion  they  could  not  prosper  as  long  as  they  had  any  English 
joined  with  them,  and  for  that  end  had  thoroughly  purged  their  army, 
which  was  styled  by  them  the  confident,  victorious  army  of  the 
North."  The  Brief  Chronicle  gives  the  following  list  of  those  killed, 
and  of  the  prisoners  :  — 

"  In  this  fight  was  taken  the  Bishop  of  Clogher,  General.  Killed  — 
The  Lord  of  Enniskillen,  Colonel  ;  the  Bishop  of  Down,  Shane. 
O'Cane,  Major-General  Henry  Roe  O'Neill,  General  O'Neill's  son, 
Colonel  of  the  Horse  ;  Nice  MacCollekelagh,  Colonel  ;  Hugh  Mac 
Guier,  Colonel  ;  Phelim  MacTool  O'Neill,  Colonel;  Hugh  MacHahan, 
Colonel  ;  Lieutenant-Colonels  Torlogh  O'Boyle,  Shane  MacDonnell, 
James  O'Donnelly,  Phelemy  O'Neal,  'Adjutant-General  ;  Torlogh 
O'Neill,  Adjutant-General.  Taken  prisoners  —  Shane  O'Haggan, 
Henry  O'Neill,  Quarter-Master-General  Saxton.  Majors  killed  — 
Phelemy  O'Neal,  "Don  O'Neal,  Emer  MacOuillan,  John  MacGuier, 
Captain  of    Horse  ;    Art   Oge    O'Neal,    ColoTicl  ;    MacMaghan,    Mull 


208 


CROMWELL   IN  IRELAND. 


Holland  O'Ouine,  Ferrall,  Captain  of  Foot  ;  Stewart,  Fergus  Farrell, 
Bryan  O'Neal,  Owen  O'Ouine,  George  Russell,  James  MacCartain, 
Patrick  O'Connally,  Donnel  MacGuier  Gollagher,  Bryan  MacGil, 
Tiege  O'MacHugh,  MacOge  O'Ouine,  Cormache  O'Mullen,  Hen. 
Kannalds, 'Conagher.  Three  priests  and  friars  are  killed  ;  3,000  slain 
in  all." 

Only  a  few  were  made  prisoners,  those  taken  being  for  the  niost 
part  put  to  the  sword,  even  after  quarter  was  promised  them.  Major- 
General  O'Cahan,  Colonels  Maguire  and  MacMahon,  Art  Oge  O'Neill, 
and  Colonel  Phelim  O'Neill  perished  on  the  field.  The  Bishop  fled 
with  a  party  of  horse,  "going  night  and  day  for  twenty-four  hours, 
without  meat,  drink  or  rest."  Information  of  his  movements  having 
been  given  to  Major  King,  governor  of  Enniskillen,  a  party  of  horse 
was  despatched  from  that  garrison  to  capture  him  and  his  compan- 
ions. The  party  was  too  strong  for  the  Bishop,  who,  however,  de- 
fended himself  with  notable  courage  ;  but,  after  hediad  received  many 
wounds,  he  was  forced  to  become  prisoner,  upon  promise  first  that  he 
should  have  fair  quarter  ;  contrary  to  which  Sir  Charles  Coote,  as 
soon  as  he  knew  he  was  prisoner,  caused  him  to  be  hanged,  with  all 
the  circumstances  of  contumely,  reproach  and  cruelty  he  could  devise. 
And  thus,  in  less  than  a  year  after  he  had  brought  Owen  O'Neill  to 
relieve  Sir  Charles  Coote  in  Derry,  who  must  otherwise  in  a  few  days 
have  delivered  it  up  to  the  King,  his  army  was  defeated  by  the  same 
Sir  Charles  Coote,  and  himself,  after  quarter  and  life  promised,  ex- 
ecuted two  months  after,  by  the  positive  order  and  command  of  him 
whom  he  had  thus  preserved.^  His  head  was  set  over  the  gate  of 
Derry.  Ferrall  and  a  few  more  who  survived  sought  safety  in  llight, 
and  hid  themselves  in  the  mountains  and  woods,  to  avoid  the  certain 
death  that  awaited  them  if  they  were  taken. 

Henry  Tully  O'Neill  describes  the  death  of  young  Henry:  — 
"  Quarter  had  been  given  to  several  of  the  Irish  officers,  and  in  particu- 
lar to  Colonel  Phelim  O'Neill,^  for  which  he  agreed  to  give  one  hundred 
beeves  to  Sir  Charles  Coote.  Whilst  the  articles  were  drawing,  the 
day  after  the  action,  a  sergeant  came  into  Coote's  tent  with  the  news 
that  he  had  brought  in  Colonel  Henry  Roe  O'Neill,  General  Owen 
O'Neill's  son,  prisoner.  Without  more  ado,  Coote  reprimanded  the 
sergeant  for  not  bringing  his  head,  and  commanded  him  to  go  and 
despatch  him  immediately.  Colonel  Phelim  pleaded  on  behalf  of  his 
relative,  that  he  was  a  Spaniard  born,  and  that  he  had  come  to  Ire- 
land as  a  soldier  of  fortune.     The  order,  however,  was  executed  ;  ^  he 

^  Nor  is  ic  amiss  to  observe  the  variety  and  vicissitude  of  Irish  affairs  ;  for  this  very 
bishop  and  those  oflicers,  whose  heads  were  now  jilaced  on  the  walls  of  Uerry,  were,  within 
less  than  a  year  before,  confederate  with  Sir  Charles  Coote,  and  raised  the  siege  of  that 
city,  and  were  jovially  merry  at  his  table,  in  the  quality  of  friends.  The  author  of  the 
Memoir  of  Ow'en  Roe  says  Mac  Mahon  was  executed  at  Enniskillen. 

2  He  was  the  grandfather  of  Colonel  Henry,  the  autlior  of  the  "Relation."  lie  was 
lieutenant-colonel  of  General  O'Neill's  regiment,  in  the  Ulster  army,  in  1645.  and  com- 
manded a  party  of  horse  and  musketeers  at  the  battle  of  Iknburb.  In  1649  he  was  ap- 
pointed colonel,  and  in  the  ensuing  year  he  defeated  a  party  of  the  troopj  of  Coote  and 
Venables  in  Ulster.  The  author  of  the  Aphor.  Disj.  speaks  of  him  as  a  courageous  hu- 
mane and  successful  commander. 

*  Morison  says  a  promise  had  been  made  to  Colonel  Henry  that  his  life  would  be 


CROMWELL   LV  IRELAND. 


209 


was  beheaded  by  the  unchristian  and  tigrish  doom  of  the  thrice-cruel 
butcher  and  human  blood-sucker,  Sir  Charles  Coote."  Colonel 
Phelim  was  told  that  if  he  began  to  prate  he  should  be  served  the 
same  way.  He  replied  that  he  would  rather  be  served  so  than  owe 
his  life  to  such  a  monstrous  villain  as  he  was.  Whereupon  he  was 
carried  out  and  knocked  on  the  head  with  tent-poles  by  Coote's  men. 
This  being  observed  by  one  of  Coote's  officers,  he  asked  what  they 
meant  by  using  the  gentleman  so.  They  replied  it  was  by  the  Gen- 
eral's orders.  The  officer,  in  compassion  and  to  put  him  out  of  pain, 
drew  his  sword  and  ran  .him  through  the  heart.  Sir  Phelim,  who 
acted  as  the  Bishop's  lieutenant-general,  escaped  from  the  battle-field. 
Me  was  arrested  in  Roughan  Island  by  one  of  the  Caulfields,  tried  at 
the  High  Court  of  Justice  before  Judge  Lowther,  and  hanged,  drawn 
and  quartered. 

And  so  perished  at  the  pass  of  Scariffhollis  the  Ulster  army  which 
had  so  often  followed  Owen  Roe  to  victory. 

spared.  Tlimwdia,  p.  66.  It  was  reputed  that  for  a  certain  sum  of  money  he  would  be 
ransomed.  Mis  wife  made  herself  ready,  having  tlie  said  sum,  to  go  and  ransom  her  beloved 
husband.  But  alas  !  he  was,  notwiihstanding  his  quarter,  beheaded,  and  the  rest  of  his 
companions  executed,  in  disrespect  of  all  human. and  divine  law.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Sir  Luke  iMtzgerald. 


APPENDIX. 


211 


Appendix. 


THE  GREAT  DUKE  OF  ORMONDE. 

Theobald  FitzWalter,  the  founder 
'[  the  Butler  family,  came  to  Ireland  with 
lenry  II.  in  1 171.  Large  estates  were 
ranted  to  him  as  a  reward  for  his  ser- 
iccs.  Mis  chief  seat  was  Arklow  castle. 
ii  1 177  he  was  made  Chief  Butler  of  Ire- 
ind,  Pincerna  Regis,  with  a  perquisite  of 
wo  tuns  of  wine  out  of  every  cargo  of 
ii;l\tecn  tuns  or  upwards,  a  right  rcpur- 
liased  by  the  Crown  from  the  Ormonde 
imily  in  1810  for  ^216,000.  Hence  tiie 
\mily  name  of  Butler,  and  the  addition  of 
iie  three  cups  or  to  tlie  original  arms, 
Mpaz,  a  chief  indented,  sapphire.  James, 
he  1st  Earl,  who  married  Eleanor  de 
'.olnin,  grand-daughter  of  Edward  I.,  in 
iinsideration  of  his  valuable  services,  as 
Iso  of  the  consanguinity  existing  be- 
ween  him  and  his  Majesty,  obtained  a 
rant  of  the  regalities,  liberties,  and  other 
oval  privileges  of  the  county  of  Tip- 
erar\',  and  the  rights  of  a  palatine  in  that 
ounty  for  life;  these  privileges  were 
I  terwards  granted  to  his  heirs  male  and 
nntinued  to  be  enjoyed  by  them  up  to 
lie  year  1716.  lie  built  the  castle  of 
,'cnagh  ;  but  the  English  power  having 
dien  very  low  in  Ireland  during  the  Wars 
f  the  Roses,  the  O'Carrolls,  O'Kennedys, 
nd  other  tribes  of  North  Munster,  rose 
■  \  arms  and  drove  out  the  English  set- 
lers.  James,  the  3d  Earl,  built  the 
astle  of  Gowi-an,  and  resided  there  for 
ome  time.  In  1391  he  purchased  the 
states  of  le  Despenser  in  the  county  of 
vilkcnny,  derived  from  the  heirs  of  Wil- 
,\m  Earl  Marshal;  the  castle  became 
henceforth  the  chief  seat  of  the  family. 

The  Butlers  at  all  times  adhered  laitli- 
illy  to  the  English  interest  in  Ireland, 
nd,  as  a  consccpicnce,  were  well  rc- 
arded  by  the  ruling  powers.  James,  the 
ih  Earl,  was  one  of  those  "who  engaged 
'  resist  the  usurpations  of  the  bisliop  of 
'.ome,"  and  in  return  he  received  vast 
rants  of  ecclesiastical  property  through- 


out Ireland.  At  the  end  of  his  life, 
indeed,  he  lamented  the  part  he  had 
taken  against  liis  religion  and  country. 
But  the  spoils  of  the  church  were  not  re- 
stored to  their  rightful  owners.  His  son 
Thomas,  surnamed  the  Black,  was  closely 
connected  with  the  royal  family  by  blood, 
Margaret,  the  daughter  of  the  7th  Earl, 
being  the  grandmother  of  Anne  15(jlcyn. 
He  was  brought  up  with  "  the  royal  iinp," 
Edward  VI.,  and  such  was  the  regard 
shown  him  bv  Elizabetli,  that  he  incurred 
the  lasting  jealousy  of  the  Earl  of  Leices- 
ter. He  was  succeeded  by  his  nephew. 
Sir  Walter  Butler  of  Kilcash.  This 
branch  of  the  family  had  continued  to 
adhere  to  the  Catholic  -faith  ;  Sir  Walter 
was  known  by  the  sobriquet  of  "  Walter 
of  the  Beads."  His  eldest  son.  Viscount 
Thurles,  was  drowned  while  on  his  way 
to  England.  The  care  of  his  son.  then 
only  twelve  years  of  age,  later  the  Great 
Duke  of  Ormonde,  devolved  on  his 
mother,  the  daughter  of  Sir  John  Poyntz, 
of  Acton,  in  the  county  of  Gloucester. 
By  her  he  was  placed  at  a  school  kept  by 
a  Catholic  at  Barnet,  near  London.  But 
James  I.  soon  interposed.  He  was  bent 
on  effecting  the  reform  of  reliL'ion  in  Ire- 
land t])rough  the  leading  families.  J?y 
the  manoeuvres  of  Sir  William  Parsons, 
the  Crown  obtained  the  wardship  of  the 
young  nobleman,  though  he  inherited  no 
lands  the  tenure  of  which  involved  any 
sucli  consequence.  His  grandfather  was 
cast  into  prison,  and  the  boy  was  handed 
over  to  the  care  of  Alibot,  archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  and  brougiit  up  a  Protestant. 
During  life  he  adheretl  to  that  creed.  In 
a  letter  to  Sir  Robert  Southwell  he  says 
he  is  the  only  Protestant  of  his  family. 
There  is  a  curious  letter  of  Father  Peter 
Walsh  addressed  to  him  a  few  months 
previous  to  the  death  of  both,  in  which 
the  fidelity  of  the  Ormonde  family  to  the 
Catholic  Church  is  strongly  tirged  as  a 
motive  to  induce  him  to  return  to  the 
faith  of  his  fathers.  He  anticipates  the 
grace  of  conversion  for  him  through  the 
daily  prayers   poured  out  for  him  by  an 


212 


APPENDIX. 


infinite  number  of  his  Roman  Catholic 
friends  and  relations,  amongst  which  he 
has  had  and  still  has  advocates  which, 
like  shining  stars  of  the  greatest  magni- 
tude, are  admired  in  the  brightness  and 
lustre  of  the  pious  and  virtuous,  Colonel 
Butler  of  Kilcash,  his  brother,  and  Lady 
Thurles,  his  mother.  Ormonde  replies 
that  heiis  "surprised  a  friend  so  zealous 
as  Walsh  should  have  delayed  to  the  very 
close  of  life  an  exhortation  of  such  vital 
import."  By  his  marriage  with  his 
cousin,  Elizabeth,  daughter  and  heiress  of 
Sir  Richard  Preston,  he  got  back  the  es- 
tates of  which  his  grandfather  had  been 
deprived  by  James  I.,  to  enrich  that  royal 
favorite. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion 
of  1641  he  was  appointed  Lieutenant- 
General  of  the  English  army,  and  two 
years  later  Lord  Lieutenant.  Though  at 
the  head  of  the  Royalist  army,  he  was 
little  inferior  to  Inchiquin  in  cruelty  to 
his  countrymen.  His  conduct  is  de- 
scribed at  length  in  the  works  of  his  con- 
temporary, Dr.  French,  bishop  of  Ferns, 
especially  in  his  Uiikinde  Deserter  of 
Loyal  Men.  The  author  of  Tlie  Aphoris- 
vial  Discovery  says  of  him  :  "  What  hath 
been  the  cause  of  the  now  destruction  of 
Ireland  other  than  the  arbitrary  covetous- 
ness,  treason,  and  faction  of  Ormonde 
and  his  accomplices,  a  man  of  small  de- 
serving in  martial  affairs,  weak  in  his  di- 
rections, cold  in  his  resolutions,  and  un- 
fortunate in  his  actions,  in  whom  nothing 
was  great  or  noble  but  his  blood?"  V)x. 
O'Conor,  who  wrote  under  the  pseudonym 
of  Columbanus,  is  almost  the  only  Irish 
writer  who  has  attempted  a  defence  of 
his  conduct,  in  his  strictures  on  Plow- 
den's  Historical  Review  of  the  State  of 
Ireland.  To  these  strictures  Plowden  re- 
plied at  some  length  in  his  Historical 
Letter  to  Colitmbaniis. 

The  surrender  of  Dublin  and  the  other 
strong  places  to  the  parliament  in  June, 
1647,  is  perhaps  the  greatest  stain  on  his 
character  as  a  public  man.  Carte,  his 
biographer,  defends  his  conduct  in  this 
matter,  ancl  says  he  had  received  private 
instructions  from  Charles  I.  to  make  this 
surrender.  But  Ormonde's  own  letters 
state  that  he  did  it  "on  the  presumption 
that  it  was  more  for  his  Majesty's  honor 
and  service,  and  consequently  more 
agreeable  to  his  pleasure,  which  he  had 
neither  the  means  nor  the  time  to  con- 
suit."  Even  his  apologists  admit  tliat  the 
possession  of  these  strongholds  paved  the 
way  not  only  for  the  complete  conquest 
of  Ireland,  but  even  for  the  murder  of  the 


King.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  he 
got,  in  return  for  his  treachery,  the  sum 
of  £Sy'^oo  in  hand,  a  promise  of  ;^2,oooa 
year,  and  a  complete  release  from  all 
debts  which  encumbered  his  estates 
before  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion. 
After  the  Restoration  he  received  vast 
grants  of  lands,  not  only  getting  back  all 
his  own  estates  which  were  leased  or 
mortgaged,  but  other  men's  estates  too, 
most  of  these  belonging  to  persons  of  his 
own  name.  A  list  of  these  grants  with 
the  names  of  the  original  owners  will  be 
found  in  Plowden"s  Historical  Letter  ?im\ 
in  Carte's  Life  of  Or»toiide.  The  annual 
rents  of  his  estates  before  the  rebellion 
amounted  to  ^40,000,  but  they  were  re- 
duced by  annuities  and  leases  to  _^7,ooo. 
In  1674  they  amounted  to  /8o,ooo.  The 
Earl  of  Anglesey  says  Ormonde  and  his 
family  were  the  greatest  gainers  of  the 
kingdom,  and  had  added  to  their  inheri 
tance  vast  scopes  of  land,  a  revenue  three 
times  greater  than  what  his  paternal  es 
tate  was,  and  most  of  his  increase  was 
out  of  the  estates  of  those  who  adhered 
to  the  peace  of  1646  and  1648,  or  served 
under  his  Majesty's  ensigns  abroad. 
Petty  sets  down  at  130,000  acres  thi 
lands  he  got  by  the  Act  of  Settlement 
and  the  Court  of  Claims. 

His  hatred  to  the  Catholic  Church  wa- 
almost  that  of  a  renegade.  As  early  as 
1646  Rinuccini  writing  to  Rome,  said  ol 
him  that  all  the  broils  arose  from  oni 
source  alone,  the  faction  of  the  Marquis 
of  Ormonde.  We  have  already  s]  okeii 
of  the  charge  made  against  him  of  show 
ing  too  much  kindness  10  the  Catholics 
His  answer  was  that  "  his  object  was  tc. 
work  division  among  the  Romish  clergy, 
and  he  believed  he  had  compassed  it,  to 
the  great  security  of  government  and 
Protestants  and  against  tlie  opposition  ol 
the  Pope  and  his  creatures,  and  Nuncio, 
if  he  had  not  been  removed  from  the  gov- 
ernment. Some  asciibed  his  opposition 
to  the  clergy  and  Irish  party  who  counte 
nanced  them,  to  the  fact  that  he  feared 
the  church-lands  which  his  ancestors  had 
got,  should,  in  part  at  least,  be  restored 
His  brother-in-law.  Lord  Muskerry,  de 
clared  on  his  death-bed  that  the  heaviest 
fear  that  possessed  his  soul,  then  going 
into  eternity,  was  for  having  confided  so 
much  to  his  Grace,  who  had  deceived 
them  all,  and  ruined  his  poor  country  and 
countrymen. 

A  list  of  the  honors  which  he  received 
from  Charles  II.  after  the  Restoration, 
will  be  found  in  Archdall's  Peerage.  He 
died  in  1688,  at  the  age  of  "]"]. 


Ar  PEN  nix.  213 


J,  by  the  j.coplc,  a.ul    (.)    liiat    v/cll-founded 
distrust   wc'ie  clue  in  a  great  measure  tlic: 

MORROUGII     O'BRIEN,    LORD  rapidity  and  completeness  of    Crnmweirs 

INCHIOUIN.  successes  in  Ids  Irish  campaign.  One  thing 

~  only  Inchiquin  was  constant  in,  Ids  hatred 

The  O'Briens  were  among  tlie  fust  of  of  his  countrymen  —  Ids  fierce  and  unrc- 
tlic  Irisli  cldcfs  wlio  subnutted  to  Henry  lentiiig  enemity  towards  the  Catholic 
II.  Donald  surrended  Limerick  to  tiie  Churcli.  His  cruelties  have  earned  for 
Lnglisli,  but  he  soon  tluew  off  the  yoke,  him  the  sobriquet  of  I\Iorro\igh  of  the 
and  burnt  the  city,  "  lest  it  sliould  become  Burnings,  and  are  not  vet  forgotten,  for 
a  nest  for  foreigners."  Idis  descendant,  even  to  this  day  throughout  tlie  whole  of 
Morrough,  offered  to  support  Henry  VIII.  Munstcr  tliere  is  a  saying  applied  to  one 
i::  his  contest  with  the  Pope,  provided  his  who  looks  frightened:  "He  has  seen 
estates  were  confirmed  to  him.  The  King  Morrough  or  some  of  his  companions.'" 
acce]-)ted  his  offer.  He  should  utterly  Ludlow,  the  Cromwellian  general,  in  his 
forsake  and  refuse  the  name  of  O'Brien,  yl/tv;/fl//-j-,  says  tliat  he  did  not  sjiare  even 
aid  use  such  name  only  as  it  should  his  own  kindred;  but  if  he  found  them 
]  lease  the  King  to  give  him,  adopt  the  faulty,  hanged  them  up withoutdistinction. 
Ilnglish  habit  and  language,  and  bring  up  The  massacre  of  Cashcl  is  one  of  the  sid- 
his  children  in  the  same.  In  return  for  dest  images  of  Irish  history  ;  and  that  was 
his  submission  he  was  created  Earlof  Tho-  only  one  of  his  many  cruel  deeds — ■  Cork 
mond  for  life,  and  Baron  of  Inchiquin;  and  Kilmallock  could  tell  tales  of  woe 
t!ie  latter  title  to  pass  to  his  heirs  male,  almost  as  jjitiful.  ' 
1 1's  nephew  Donogh  was  created  Baron  After  the  surrender  of  thestrong  places 
of  Ibrickan  with  remainder  to  his  male  in  Ireland  he  went  to  France,  where  he 
i.i;sue,  and  Earl  of  Thomond  after  his  was  advanced  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant- 
uncle's  death.  The  latter  title  was  con-  general.  On  the  conquest  of  Catalonia 
f-rred  on  him  and  his  heirs  male  by  he  was  made  viceroy  there.  He  continued 
Edward  VI.  for  many  years  in   the   French  service  in 

Morrough  was  born  about    i6iS.     His  Si)ain  and  tiie  Netherlands.     On  one   oc- 

career  was  one   of    the    strangest  adven-  casion   he  and   his  family  were  taken  by 

tire.     In    early  life  he  was   a   soldier   of  Algerinc  corsairs.     They  were  set  free  on 

f   rtune:    he  went  to  Italy,  and  served  in  payment  of  a  large  sum. 

i^ie  Sjianish  army  there.     Soon   after  we  After  the  Restoration  he  came  to   Eng- 

f:nd  him  one  of  the  most  zealous  suppor-  land.     Bv  the  Act  of    Settlement  he  was 

tcrs  of  Strafford  in  his  attempt  to  rob  the  restored  to  his  estate,  and  a  sum  of  ^8,000 

.•\nglo-Irish  and  Irish  alike,  and  to  estab-  Avas  granted  him  as   a  compensation   for 

I'sh  in  the  south  and  west  of  Ireland  such  the   losses  he   had  sustained.     Towards 

a  "plantation  "  as  Chichester,  in  the  time  the  end  of   his   life  he  seems  to    have  ro- 

nf  James  L,  bad  established  in  the  north,  turned  to  the  Catholic  faith.     He  did  not 

Some  years  later  he  was  ajipointed  Vice-  revisit  Ireland  ;  Charles  1 1,  feared  that  his 

President  of    Munster,  under  Sir  William  excessive    zeal   on    behalf    of     Catholics 

St.  Leger,  whose  daughter  he  had  married,  would  cause  commotions   among  the  new 

On  the  breaking  out  of   the   rebellion   he  settlers   there.     He  lived  in   London,  and 

took  the  side    of   the  King,  and   afforded  there,  it  would  seem,  devoted    himself   to 

valuable  aid  in  opposing  the  rebels  in  the  the  practice  of   religion.     In  the  Memoirs 

counties  of   Cork  and  Waterford.     At  the  written  by  F.  Gamache,  one  of  the  French 

death  of  St.  Leger  he  was  a]")i)ointed  to  the  Capuchin  priests  who    came    to    England 

chief  military  command  in  the  province  of  with  Henrietta  Maria,  queen  of  Charles  I., 

Munster,  and  soon  after  the   whole  civil  mention  is  made  of   the  conversion  of   a 

administration    of   that  province   was  en-  Monsieur    Inchiquin,  and  of  the  ])eniten- 

trusted  to  him.     Offended  at  the  cold  re-  t!al  juactices  which  he   followetl ;  and   of 

ception  he  met    with    from    the    King  at  the  sufferings  lie  endured  at  the  hands  of 

Oxford,  and  at   the    refusal    to  grant  1dm  his  wife,  a  Dutch  Calvinist,  "who  kep  her 

the  presidentship  of    Munster,  he   joined  husband  in  a  state  of  continual  jjcnance." 

the  party  of  the  Parliament,  and  for  some  He  died  in  1674,  at  the  age  of  56.     By  his 

\ears  continued  to  devote  his  great  military  will  he  left   _2^20  to  the  Franciscan  monas- 

■^kill    and    bravery   to    the  service  of  the  tery  of    Ennis,  also  a  sum  of  money  "for 

i'uritans.     Again   he  changed  sides,    but  the  performance  of  the  usual  duties  of  the 

his  zeal  was  not  so  active  on  behalf  of  the  Roman     Catholic    clergy,    and  for   other 

King  as  on  that  of  his  formerfriends.     In  pious  uses."     There  is  a  tradition  current 

'act  both  he  and  Ormonde  were  distrusted  in   Limerick  that    he    was    buried    in    St 


214 


APPENDIX. 


Mary's  Cathedral.  Certain  it  is  that  in 
his  will  he  ordered  that  his  body  should 
be  buried  tliere.  Some  years  ago,  wliile 
repairs  were  going  on,  and  a  part  of  the 
floor  in  the  north  aisle  was  ripped  up,  a 
coffin  was  found  covered  with  Irish  freize. 
The  covering  was  quite  fresh,  the  coffin 
sound,  but  on  opening  it  no  remains  were 
found  within.  Tradition  further  says, 
that  though  tlie  burial  took  place,  the 
people  of  Limerick,  indignant  that  the  old 
churcli  should  be  ])rofaned  by  the  pres- 
ence of  the  bones  of  one  who  during  life 
was  the  enemy  of  their  country  and  their 
faith,  took  up  the  corpse  during  the  night 
and  threw  it  into  the  Shannon.  Morrough, 
too,  was  one  of  those  who  were  brought 
up  as  king's  wards,  and  well  did  he  repay 
the  price  of  his  nurture. 

At  the  death  of  James,  third  marquis, 
seventh  earl,  and  twelfth  baron,  in  1855, 
the  earldom  became  extinct;  but  the 
barony  of  Inchiquin  devolved  on  Sir 
Lucius  O'Brien  of  Dromoland,  descended 
from  a  younger  son  of  the  first  baron.- 

in. 

.SUPPLIES  SENT  TO  CROMWELL 
DURING  THE  IRISH  CAMPAIGN. 

1649,  Sept.  i5lh.  An  order  of  the 
Council  of  State  for  supplies  of  horse- 
saddles,  &.C  , 'for  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  Oct. 
i6th.  Captain  Long,  of  Colonel  Venables' 
regiment,  was  sent  to  recruit  200  men. 
The  Council  of  State  promised'him  six- 
pence a  day  for  each  man  not  exceeding 
that  number  he  should  bringon  board,  for 
their  marching  money.  They  were  to  be 
transported  to  Ireland  at  the  charge  of  the 
state.  An  agreement  was  made  between 
the  Council  of  State  and  Richard  Downes, 
for  furnishing  16,000  coats  and  breeches 
for  the  soldiers  in  Ireland,  the  coats  to  be 
made  of  Gloucester  or  Coventry  cloth 
of  Venice,  color  red,  shrunk  ;  the  breeches 
to  be  made  of  gray  or  other  good  colors, 
of  Reading  or  good  cloth  ;  2,500  of  each 
to  be  delivered  within  a  fortnight,  and 
2,500  more  every  week  after,  until  the  16,- 
oco  are  delivered;  and  that  17^.  be  paid  for 
each  coat  and  breeches.  The  16,000  cas- 
socks and  breeches  were  not  sufficient  for 
the  foot  forces.  1,900  in  the  Tower  to  be 
sent  to  Sir  Charles  Coote  for  his  own  and 
Colonel  Venables' men.  19th.  The  Coun- 
cil of  State  ordered  5,000  recruits  to  be 
raised,  and  to  be  divided  into  five  regi- 
ments, and  a  sum  of  ^6,939  *o  ^^  given  to 
the  ofiicers  that  raised  and  conducted  the 
men,  for  the  payment  of  quarters' victuals. 


&c.,  on  board  ship,  and  for  transplantation. 
30th.  Contract  of  the  Irish  Committei 
with  Richard  Thorowgood  for  i6,oof 
shirts  approved  ;  with  John  Harvey  and 
Thomas  Hayes  for  16,000  pairs  of  stoc! 
ings  ;  with  James  Graves  and  others  fci 
16,000  pairs  of  shoes.  Nov.  2d.  Con 
tract  for  15,000  yards  of  broadcloth  fci 
the  horsemen  in  Ireland,  at  \s.  3^^.  pci 
yard.  9th.  The  general  officers  of  tht 
army  met  this  day,  with  a  committee  cl 
the  Council  of  State,  a!)Out  the  raising  ol 
800  horse  out  of  the  army  for  recruits  fi.i 
Ireland,  wliich,  with  the  5,000  foot  volun 
teers,  will  be  very  considerable  for  thai 
service.  15th.  Report  of  the  Irish  Com 
mittee  approved  by  the  Council  of  Stati. 
as  to  sending  recruits  of  horse  to  Ireland 
20  out  of  each  troop  of  10  regiments: 
ships  are  to  be  provided  and  pressed  al 
the  several  ports  for  their  transport  ;  ti. 
land  at  Wexford,  unless  prevented  b\ 
contrary  winds,  in  which  case  they  are  tu 
land  at  any  safe  port  they  can  make  in 
Ireland.  20th.  The  Council  is  satisfied 
with  Sir  Hardress  Waller's  acceptance  ol 
the  employment  in  Ireland  ;  he  is  to  usl 
all  speed  in  raising  his  men.  26th.  Ordci 
given  to  Colonel  Fleetwood  and  Coloml 
Whalley  to  march  i,ooo  recruits  of  foo: 
raised  by  them  to  Chester.  Colonc; 
Henry  Cromwell's  men  are  to  have  tiieii 
entertainment  (hiring  their  stay  for  a  wind 
and  until  they  are  shipped  for  Ireland,  ami 
also  one  month's  pay  in  advance  wher 
they  ship  for  Ireland.  Dec.  7th.  Sii 
Hardress  Waller  and  his  company  read\ 
to  go  to  Ireland.  loth.  Last  week  theri 
was  shipped  at  Liverpool  and  Chester  501 
men  of  Colonel  Pride's  party,  5570!  Majoi 
Pitson's,  366  of  Colonel  Massey's,  o* 
Colonel  Fenwick's  220.  In  Novembei 
there  were  transported  8  companies  con 
sistingof  700  men;  in  all  of  late,  2,708 
14th.  About  7,000  soldiers  shipjxxl  fron 
Liverpool  for  Ireland.  About  this  tim> 
1,500  recruits  landed  at  Dublin  fron 
Cliester  and  Liverpool.  Dec.  15th.  Si 
Hardress  W^aller,  with  his  five  companich 
viz  :  the  Colonel's,  Lieutenant  Colom 
.Smyth's,  Captains  Smyth's,  Hodden's,  am 
Wilson's,  took  shipping  at  Plymoutli,  an. 
200  recruits  besides.  iSth.  Letters  froi. 
York,  that  there  was  a  rendezvous  o 
Colonel  Lilbourne's  party  that  are  march 
ing  for  Ireland  —  about  1 00  old  blades 
stout  men,  and  ready  for  service.  191!. 
From  Chester,  an  account  of  soldiers  [> 
be  shipped  there  for  Ireland.  Fror, 
Plymouth,  an  account  of  recruits  to  b 
shipped  for  Ireland.  Letters  from  Dur 
ster  Castle,  that  recruits  were  raising  ther 


2  r  TEX  nix. 


215 


for  Ireland.  2ist.  Letters  from  Pymoutli, 
an  account  of  the  shipping  there  of  Sir 
Hardress  Waller  with  his  company  and 
other  recruits  for  Ireland,all  which  go  with 
great  willingness.  24th.  From  Portland, 
that  Colonel  Cox  and  his  men  sail  for 
Ireland  with  a  fair  wind.  1650,  Jan.  4th. 
An  account  of  recruits  for  Ireland.  5th. 
Captain  Harrington's  troop  of  Colonel 
Oky's  regiment,  designed  for  Ireland,  are 
marched  towards  the  sea-side.  8th.  Sev- 
eral orders  and  references  to  the  Council 
of  State  and  the  Committee  of  the  Army 
concerning  recruits,  and  for  supplies  of 
])rovisions,  ammunition,  and  money  for 
the  forces  in  Ireland.  This  day  a  gallant 
troop  of  80  horse,  commanded  by  Captain 
Theophilus  Sandford,  set  sail  from  Liver- 
pool for  Wexford.  12th.  About  140  foot 
under  Captain  Whiting,  and  about  20  re- 
cruits under  Captain  Owen.  15th.  Some 
of  Colonel  Desborougli's  men  shipped 
for  Ireland.  From  Liverpool  :  Tiiere 
is  now  shii)])ing  here  a  troop  of  Major- 
General  Lambert's.  19th.  Account  of 
recruits  for  Ireland.  23d.  A  ship  with 
30  horse  and  120  foot,  bound  for  Ireland, 
was  cast  away,  and  all  drowned.  Feb. 
4th.  Mr.  Whalley  is  preparing  ship- 
ping to  transport  three  troops  of  horse 
for  Ireland  about  Chester  and  Liver- 
pool. Captain  Crofton,  with  the  horse 
drawn  out  of  Colonel  Riche's  regiment 
and  80  foot,  are  ready  in  the  west  to  be 
joined  with  Colonel  Desborougli's  recruits 
for  Ireland.  Mr.  Peters'  1,000  foot  are 
near  ready  at  Milford,  were  the  wind  sea- 
sonable. 6th.  Account  of  troops  and  re- 
cruits marching  towards  Chester  for 
Ireland.  8th.  Account  of  recruits  for 
Ireland.  Letters  from  Cork,  that  five 
ships  with  soldiers  were  all  cast  away 
coming  from  Minehead  for  Ireland;  only 
twenty  or  thirty  men  swam  ashore.  Cap- 
tain Ensor,  Captain  Whiting,  with  80 
horse  and  150  foot,  and  all  tlie  seamen 
drowned  except  20  or  30.  15th.  An  ac- 
count from  Chester,  that,  after  too  long  a 
stay,  ships  are  at  length  ready  to  carry 
the  money  ordered  by  the  Council  of 
state  to  Leinster  and  the  north  of  Ireland. 
23d.  Letters  from  Milford,  that  there 
were  400  horse  of  Colonel  Cromwell's,  the 
Lord  Lieutenant's  son,  to  be  transported 
to  Ireland.  27th.  Letters  from  Pem- 
broke, that  Colonel  Cromwell  and  Colonel 
Venables  were  there  waiting  for  a  wind 
for  Ireland.  March  ist.  Divers  ships 
gone  from  Liverpool  with  supplies  for 
Irelan'd.  6th.  Letters  from  Chester,  that 
£\  1,000  was  put  on  board  for  Dublin,  and 
^6,000  for  Carrickfergus.     9th.     Several 


orders  conveying  supplies  of  money,  pro- 
visions, and  recruits  for  Ireland.  i6lh- 
Twelve  ships  or  barks  from  Milford  laden 
with  oats,  beans,  and  pease,  and  several 
sorts  of  grain.  22d.  Account  of  forces 
supplied  for  Ireland.  27th.  Colonel  Henry 
Cromwell  arrived  at  Youghal  from  Mil- 
ford Haven  with  a  regiment  of  foot  and 
aI)out  200  horse.  April  5th.  That  eight 
ships  were  come  in  from  England  and 
Whales,  laden  with  oats,  and  1,500  yards 
of  cloth,  and  200  pairs  of  boots.  There 
came  from  Milford  Haven  to  Youghal 
13  ships  laden  with  oats, beans,  and  pease 
for  the  supply  of  the  army.  Cfh.  Ac- 
count of  the  shipping  of  some  troops 
for  Ireland,  ioth.  Account  of  the  trans- 
l)orting  of  forces  for  Ireland.  Clothes, 
monies,  and  necessary  recruits  came  to 
Sir  Charles  Coote  for  his  army  in  the 
north  of  Ireland.  May  6th.  From 
Taunton,  many  volunteers  listed  for  Ire- 
land. Colonel  Reeves'  recruits  landed 
safe  at  Cork. 

IV. 

GENEALOGY  OF    OWEN    ROE 
O'NEILL, 

According  to  O'Donovan,  the  Ui 
Neill,  or  descendants  of  King  Nial  of  the 
Nine  Hostages,  were  divided  into  two 
great  branches,  the  northern  and  the 
southern.  The  latter  were  kings  of 
Mcath,  and  many  of  them  were  monarchs 
of  Ireland  also.  The  northern  branch, 
too,  produced  many  monarchs.  Of  this 
branch  tliere  were  two  great  families-— 
the  race  of  Eof^han,  ]3rinces  of  Tyron,  and 
the  race  of  Conell,  jirinces  of  Tvrconnell. 
The  descendants  of  Eojdian  were  the 
most  celebrated  of  all  the  Milesian  clans. 
These  took  the  name  of  O'Neill  in  the 
loth  century  from  Nial  Glan  Dubh(I51ack 
Knee),  who  was  slain  by  the  Danes  in 
battle  in  919,  The  elder  branch  took  the 
name  of  O'Lochlainn  and  MacLoughlin, 
from  one  of  their  chiefs.  The  O'Neills 
had  their  chief  seat  at  Duncannon,  and 
were  inaugurated  as  chieftains  at  Tulla- 
hogue.  Con  O'Neill,  surnamed  Bocagii 
(the  Lame),  head  of  his  clan,  accepted  tlie 
title  of  Earl  of  Tyrone, from  Henry  VIII. 
in  1542,  renouncing  at  the  same  time  the 
name  of  O'Neill,  and  engaging  that  him- 
self and  his  heirs  should  adopt  the  Eng- 
lish dress  and  language,  obey  the  King's 
laws,  assist  the  Deputy  in  his  hostings, 
and  refuse  all  succor  to  any  of  the  King's 
enemies.  It  is  obvious  that  though  Con 
could  accept  for  himself  any  title  from  tlie 
King  of  England,  he,  acting  as  chief  of  his 


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APPENDIX. 


217 


tribe,  liad  no  shadow  of  right  to  take 
upon  himself  to  give  away  all  tlie  tribal 
lands.  In  the  eyes  of  his  clan  such  a 
grant  was  simply  a  nullity.  He  had  soon 
good  reason  to  regret  his  submission,  and 
cursed  any  of  his  posterity  who  should 
Icarn  to  speak  English,  sow  wheat,  or 
build  caslles.  On  the  death  ot  his  eldest 
son  Shane,  in  1567,  than  whom  none  of 
the  Irish  chiefs  during  the  15th  century 
was  more  feared  or  hated  by  the  English, 
an  Act  of  I'arl  lament  was  passed  for  "the 
extinguishment  of  the  name  O'Neill,  and 
the  entitling  of  the  Queen  of  England, 
her  heirs  and  successors  to  the  county  of 
Tyrone  and  two  other  counties  and  terri- 
tories in  Ulster."  "  The  name  of  O'Neill," 
says  the  Act,  "in  the  judgments  of  the 
universal  people  of  this  realm  doth  carry 
in  itself  so  great  a  sovereignity,  as  they 
supi)ose  that  all  the  lords  and  people  of 
Ulster  should  rather  live  in  servitude  to 
that  name  than  in  subjection  to  tlie  Crown 
of  England. 

Matthew,  surnamed  Feardorcha  (the 
Swarthy  ),  an  illegitimate  son  of  Con,  was 
created  Baron  of  Dungannon  at  the  same 
time  that  his  father  was  made  Earl  of 
Tyrone.  His  second  son,  Hugh,  was 
perhajis  tlie  ablest  of  the  Irish  chieftains, 
either  in  the  council  or  the  field.  In  his 
)outh  he  was  taken  to  the  court,  to  be 
taught  English  manners.  But  the  rapa- 
city of  the  English  adventurers  soon 
roused  him  to  resistance.  At  thehicad  of 
the  Edster  chieftains,  lie  carried  on  a  war 
for  eight  years.  The  defeat  which  he  in- 
flicted on  Bagnall  at  the  Yellow  Ford  was 
admitted  by  their  own  historians  to  have 
been  the  greatest  which  the  English  ever 
eceivcd  since  their  arrival  in  Ireland. 
Through  want  of  supplies  he  was  at  length 
obliged  to  submit.  I'ut  even  after  his 
submission  he  was  looked  on  as  one  whom 
it  would  be  dangerous  to  provoke.  A 
consjjiracy  was  set  on  foot  to  bring  about 
his  ruin.  With  O'Donnell  lie  sailed  from 
Lough  Swilly,  Sept.  14th,  1607.  "  Woe  to 
the  heart  that  meditated,  to  the  mind  that 
conceived,  to  the  council  that  decided  on 
the  project  of  their  setting  out  on  this 
voyage  without  knowing  whether  they 
should  ever  return  to  their  native  princi- 
palities, to  tlie  end  of  the  world.  Both 
died  soon  afterward  in  exile.  They  are 
buried  side  by  side  in  front  of  the  high 
altar,  in  the  church  of  San  Pietro  in  Mon- 
torio,  Rome. 

Matthew's  third  son  was  Art  M'Baron. 
In  his  old  age  he  removed  from  his  own 
territory  of  O'Neilan  and  got  in  exchange 
an  estate  of  2,000  acres  during  the   lives 


of   himself  and    his  ■wife.     Art's    second 
son  was  Owen  Roe. 

It  is  said  that  F.  Wadding  sent  to 
Owen  Roe  the  two-handed  sword  of  the 
great  Earl  of  Tyrone.  Massari,  dean  of 
Fermo,  who  brought  it  to  Ireland  in  1647, 
writing  to  Rinuccini,  says  :  "  f\ecupe_ravi 
illius  Celebris  bellatoris  Tyronhe  Comitis 
Ultoniensis  ex  (J'Neillorum  familia  glad- 
iumduarum  manuum,  queni  General!  Don 
Eugenio  destinavi."  One  of  O'Neill's 
enemies  vented  his  spleen  in  the  follow- 
ing verses  : — 

"The  sanguine    hands  of  the    O'Neillian 

sept. 
Have  now  received  the  papal  gifts  long 

kept, 
EarFllugh,  to  whom   the    phoenix  plume 

was  sent, 
Among  the  birds  on  earth  most  eminent; 
And  to    his    nephew   Owen   a   sword    is 

come, 
That    Hercules   of  both    the   world   and 

Rome. 
And    now   expect   a   further    present ! — 

What  ? 
The    imperial    sceptre    of    O'Neill's    lost 

state 
Left  with   the   Pope    to   keep; — with   rea- 
son, then, 
The   Pope    should    not  restore    the    same 

again." 

Rancati,  the  Cistercian  abbot  of  Santa 
Croce  in  Rome,  sent  him  a  cross  made  of 
the  wood  of  the  True  Cross,  as  "a  pro- 
tection to  body  and  soul  against  even  in- 
visible enemies."  "  Receive  this,"  he 
adds,  "from  a  poor  monk,  and  in  this 
sign  conquer,  and  give  back  Ireland  to 
God.': 

The  following  Indult  was  given  by 
Urban  ^TI1.  to  "  Owen  O'Neill,  that  very 
brave  and  noble  Irish  chieftain,  and  to 
the  other  Catholics  who  would  stir  up  and 
carry  on  the  war  in  Ireland  against  the 
English  heretics :"  it  is  dated  October 
8th,  1642: — 

Dilccio  Filio  Umicnio  O' Ncillo. 

Dilecte  fill  safutem.  Nullahi  pra^ter- 
mittere  soles  occasionem,  qua  non  ma- 
jorum  tuorum  vestigiis  insistens  eximium 
zelum  et  propaganda?  ecclesi;r  studium 
pcrspectum  facis,  idque  luculenter  in  prjE- 
sentia  prn2stitisti  in  Hiberniam  jiroficisci 
cogitans,  ut  Catholicorum  rationibus 
prnssto  sis.  Quam  ob  rem  pergratae  nobis 
advenerunt  literx  quibus  hu)usniodi  itine- 
ris  dcliberationem  declaras  et  rei  feliciter 
gerendas  principiuma  coclesti  ope  auspica- 


218 


APPENDIX. 


tus,  non  minus  humiliter  qiiam  religiose 
Apostolicambenedictionem  a  nobis  postu- 
las.  Praiclarum  bunc  in  te  ardorem  et 
constaniam  adversus  hx-reticos  et  vems 
fidei  animum  non  pariim  laudamus,  tua;- 
que  jam  pridem  pietatis  conscii  a  te  ex- 
pectamus  in  hac  opportunitate  strenui 
atque  excelsi  roboris  documenta  quas  an- 
teliac  singularem  nominis  famam  tibi 
compararunt.  Illorum  pariter  commenda- 
miis  consilium  quos  tu  e.xcitans  exem- 
plo  significasti.  Speramus  autcm  fore  ut 
Altissimus  tu;e  causiu  pr;esto  sit,  ut  notam 
facial  populis  virtutem  suam.  Interim, 
ut  confidentius  cuncta  aggrediamini,  nos 
div'inam  clementiam  indesinenter  orantes, 
ut  adversariorum  conatus  in  nihil  redigat, 
libi  ceterisque  Catholicorum  rem  in  nrx- 
dicto  regno  curaturis  nostram  libenterim- 
pertimur  benedictionem,  universisque  et 
singulis,  si  vere  poenitentes  confessi  fuer- 
int,  et  sacra  communione  (si  fieri  possit) 
debite  refecti,  plenariam  suorum  peccato- 
rum  veniam  et  remissionem,  atque  in 
mortis  articulo  indulgentiam  etiam  plena- 
riam elargimur.  Datum  Romas  sub  Annulo 
Piscatoris  die  8  octobris,  1642,  Pontifica- 
tus  nostri  anno  20. 

The  following  is  the  "  Lament "  of 
O'Neill's  secretary. 

I  lament  the  death  of  a  brave  warrior, 
the  choice  champion  of  his  Holiness, 
Urban  VIII.,  requiring  his  repair  into 
Ireland,  chief  commander,  immediately 
from  himself  for  the  Catholic  war,  as  hav- 
ing pregnant  testimonies  of  his  fidelity 
and  uberant  fortune  in  such  affairs.  A 
soldier  since  a  boy  in  the  only  martial 
academy  of  Christendom,  Flanders ;  never 
drew  his  sword  unto  his  dying  day  other- 
wise than  in  Catholic  religion's  defence, 
as  witness  Bohemia,  .Sweden,  Norway, 
Denmark,  and  now  Ireland.  This  bul- 
wark of  holy  religion  and  Pope's  Scander- 
berg,  Don  Eugenius  O'Neill,  severally 
impeded  in  this  his  godly  design  by  fac- 
tious and  treacherous  members  of  this 
same  kingdom,  as  a  tall  cedar,placed  on  the 
mountain-top  of  fame  and  reputation,  was 
terribly  shaken,  and  overturned  by  the 
lofty  blasts  and  thundering  winds  of  emu- 
lation and  self-envy,  Ireland's  fortune  in 
his  time  was  favorable;  the  Church  of 
God  flourished;  the  militia,  in  emulation 
of  his  virtues,  warlike  ;  the  enemy  weak 
and  declining;  the  country  plentiful.  But 
now  by  his  death  the  enemy  is  grown 
strong  and  cruel;  no  city,  fort,  or  town  to 
oppose  him;  no  church,  monastery,  or  re- 
ligious house  inhabited;  the  militia  dis- 
couraged,disheartened,and  grown  coward; 


none  to  show  his  face  in  the  field,  for  now 
the  enemy  doth  not  fear  the  naming  of 
General  (Jwen  O'Neill,  which  not  long  be- 
fore did  sound  like  a  thunderbolt  in  his 
ears.  This  it  is  that  I  lament  the  death 
of  so  well  deserving  a  man,  whose  now 
want  is  the  cause  of  all  the  woe  and  evil 
happening  unto  us,  whose  only  name  (if 
but  like  an  echo  uttered,  and,  his  corpse  in 
a  cradle  or  chariot  carried)  would  keep 
life  and  breath  in  the  decayed  affairs  of 
Ireland.  What  will  the  jxjor  northern 
people  do  now?  Your  father,  your  gen- 
eral, your  ruler,  your  steerer  is  now 
wanting! 


Lainoit  fo7-  tlie  Death  of  Eoghan  Riiadli 
O'Neill. 


"Did    they  dare,  did  they    dare,   to  slay 

Owen  Roe  O'Neill  ?" 
"Yes    they    slew    with    poison   him  they 

feared  to  meet  with  steel." 
"May  God  wither    up  their   hearts  I  may 

their  blood  cease  to  flow! 
May     they   walk     in  living   death,  who 

poisoned  Owen  Roe! 

II, 

"Though  it  break  my  heart  to  hear,  say 

again  the  bitter  words  !" 
"From     Derry      against      Cromwell     he 

marched,  to  measure  swords  ; 
But    the   weapon  of   the  .Sacsanach  met 

iiim  on  his  way. 
And  he  died  at  Clogh  Uachtair,  upon  St. 

Leonard's  Day." 

III. 

"Wail,  wail  ye  for  the  mighty  one  !  Wail, 

wail  ye  for  the  dead  ! 
Ouench  the  hearth,  and  hold  the  breath — 
~      with  ashes  strew  the  liead  ! 
How  tenderly  we  loved  him  !  How  deeply 

we  dejjlore  ! 
Holy  Saviour!  but  to  think  we  shall  never 

see  him  more  ! 

IV. 

Sa"-est  in  the  council  was  he,  kindest  in 
the  hall ; 

Sure  we  never  won  a  battle  —  'twas  Owen 
won  them  all. 

Had  he  lived,  had  he  lived,  our  dear  coun- 
try had  been  free ; 

But  he's  dead,  but  he's  dead,  and  'tis 
slaves  we'll  ever  be. 


APPENDIX. 


210 


V. 

O'Farrell  and  Clanricarde,  Preston  and 
Red  Hugh, 

Audley  and  MacMalion,  ye  are  valiant, 
wise,  and  true ; 

But  what,  what  are  ye  all  to  our  darling 
who  is  gone  ? 

The  rudder  of  our  ship  was  he  —  our  cas- 
tle's corner-stone. 

VI. 

Wail,  wail  hi  n  through  the  island  !  Weep 

for  our  pride  ! 
Would  that  on  tlie  battle-field  our  gallant 

chief  had  died  ! 
Weep  the  victor  of  licin-Burb !  Weep  him, 

young  men  and  old  ! 
Weep  for  liim,  ye  women — your  Beautiful 

lies  cold  ! 

VII. 

We  thought  you  would  not  die  —  we  were 
sure  you  would  not  go, 

And  leave  us  in  our  inmost  need  to  Crom- 
well's cruel  blow. 

Sheep  without  a  shepherd,  when  the 
snow  slnits  out  the  sky  — 

Oh  !  why  did  you  leave  us,Owen  ?  why  did 
_\ou  die  .'' 

VIII. 

Soft  as  woman's  was  your  voice,  O'Neill ! 

Bright  was  your  eye  ! 
Oh  !  why  did  you  leave  us,  Owen  ?  why  did 

you  die  .^ 
Your  troubles  are  all   over — your're  at 

with  God  on  high  ; 
But  we're    slaves,    and    we're    orphans, 

Owen — why  did  you  die  .'' 

EPITAPH  OF  OWEN  ROE  O'iNEILL. 

Eugeiiii  OWelH,  copim-um  ultouiensiinn 
pycTfecli gencralis,  cpitopJiiuin. 

Hie  jacpt  ille    ingens     patrire     defensor 
O'Nellus, 
Nobilis   ingenio,  sanguine,  Martc,  fide. 
Qui  genus   etmagni  mensuram  stemmatis 
imi)lcns. 
Per  sua  Catholicos  arma  jjrobavit  avos. 
Quern  neque  vis  dubii  potuit  perfringere 
belli, 
Nee  mutare  boni  spesve  timorve  mali. 
Quern     tria   conjuncto   petierunt  agmine 
regna, 
In  caput  unius  tot  coiere  manus. 
Celsus  in  immota  mentis    scd    constitit 
arce, 
Et  cceptum  in  fracto  pectore  duxit  iter, 


Spcm    contra   liumanam,    coelum    tamen 
adfuit  ausis, 
Cumquc     suo    Christus     milite     miles 
erat. 
Impia     Catholicorum      seu     strinxit     in 
agmina  ferrum. 
Discolor   ha^retica  ca:de   madebat    hu- 
.11  us. 
Sive     fugam    simulat,     simulando    com- 
primit  hostem. 
Nee  minus  arma  viri  quam  metuenda 
fuga. 
Hoc  tamen,  hoc  urgens  et  inexpugnabile 
Marti, 
Pectus  iiumi    positum    spicula    mortis 
habent. 
/Emula     nam     crebris     Parca     invidiosa 
triumph  is, 
Vincendi  et  vitae  sit  tibi  finis,  ait. 
Fata  sed  Eugenium  nequeunt  itaslcrnere 
servent 
Postuma     Romanam    quominus    arma 
fideni. 
Hanc  lapis  et  cineres,  sed  et  ipsa  cadavera 
spirant, 
Et     Petrum     litui,   tela,     tuba^que    so- 
nant. 
Magna  viri  merces,  tot  palmas  astra  coro- 
nant. 
Sic   jira^stant  mcrilum  terra  polusque 
decus. 

Hugh  O'Neill  was  born  in  the  Spanish 
Netherlands.  He  was  the  son  of  Art 
Oge,  brother  of  Owen  Roe,  whence  he 
was  called  Hugh  MacArt  Oge.  He  went 
by  the  name  of  Hugh  Dubh  or  Buidhe, 
epithets  used  by  the  Irish  to  designate 
persons  of  swarthy  or  sallow  complexion. 
He  is  mentioned  as  one  of  the  "brave 
warriors  and  ]:)rime  captains  who,  out  of 
the  martial  theatre  of  Flanders,  enlisted 
under  the  banner  of  Owen  Roe  O'Neill, 
and  came  to  Ireland  in  1642."  He  was 
taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  Clones  in 
1643,  and  did  not  regain  his  liberty  till 
released  by  exchange  after  the  battle  of 
Benburb  in  1646.  In  that  year  he  was  ap- 
pointed major-general  of  the  Ulster  army. 
The  author  of  the  Aplioris7nal  Dis- 
covery speaks  of  him  as  a  tried,  wise, 
faithful,  successful  officer,  unsurpassed 
in  courage,  vigilant,  industrious,  zealous, 
for  religion,  loyal  to  the  king,  faithful  to 
his  country,  constant  in  his  princi])les. 
During  the  illness  of  his  uncle,  Owen 
Roe,  he  commanded  the  Ulster  army,  and 
was  with  i'errall  despatched  in  October, 
1649,  to  the  Marquis  of  Ormonde  with  a 
body  of  2,000  men.  After  Owen  Roe's 
death,  he  was  anxious  to  succeed  him  as 
commander   of    the    Ulster    army.     Plis 


220 


APPENDIX. 


qualifications  were  strongly  urged  by 
Daniel  O'Neill,  as  being  a  "man  who 
knew  the  ways  Owen  Roe  O'Neill  took 
to  ninnage  the  people,  and  one  not  un- 
acceptable to  the  Scots,  and  one  who 
would  do  nothing  contrary  to  Ormonde's 
commands." 

We  have  already  given  an  account  of 
his  successful  defence  of  Clonmel.  After 
retiring  from  that  place,  he  was  appoint- 
ed to  act  as  military  governor  of  Limerick 
by  Ormonde,  and  to  defend  that  city 
against  the  Parliamentarians.  In  reply  to 
the  demand  of  Sir  Hardress  Waller  to  sur- 
render the  city,  September,  1650,  he  de- 
clared "he  was  determined  to  maintain 
it  for  the  use  of  his  Majesty  Charles  II., 
even  to  the  effusion  of  the  last  drop  of 
his  blood."  The  author  of  the  Aphoris- 
inal  Discovery  states  that  Ireton  made 
him  offers  cf  great  preferment,  to  induce 
him  ti)  surrender;  but  lie  would  not  be- 
tray the  trust  reposed  in  him.  In  his  re- 
ply he  is  stated  I0  have  said  that  he  had 
promised  to  hold  Limerick  for  a  year, 
and  that  period  liaving  expired,  he  intend- 
ed to  hold  it,  even  without  assistance,  for 
another  year.  At  the  surrender,  finding 
that  his  name  was  not  included  in  the 
treaty,  "he  rode  up  to  encounter  Deputy 
Ireton,  and  offered  him  the  pommel  of 
his  sword.  Ireton  receiving  the  same, 
asked  him  who  he  was,  who  answered 
that  he  was  Hugh  O'Neill,  and  desired 
the  benefit  of  the  l.TW  of  arms  in  the  be- 
half of  a  soldier  of  fortune,  voluntarily 
yielding  himself  and  "the  lives  of  other 
such  soldiers  as  served  under  his  com- 
mand to  his  lordship's  mercy  and  favor. 
Ireton  embraced  him. gently,  and  bad  Iiim 
be  of  good  cheer,  and  that  he  would  re- 
ceive no  prejudice.  Commanding  his 
men  to  ride  forward,  he  was  alone  and 
in  private  discourse  with  O'Neill,  which 
one  of  his  chief  commanders  perceiving, 
turned  his  horse  in  a  fury,  telling  him 
it  was  now  no  time  for  such  business. 
Notwithstanding  all  which  Ireton  was  so 
tender  of  O'Neill's  safety,  that  before  he 
parted  him  he  did  command  his  own 
guard  under  pain  of  death  to  attend  only 
that  gentleman  and  bring  him  to  a  place 
of  safety,  where  he  did  not  receive  the 
least  prejudice." 

"A  few  days  after  the  taking  of  the 
city  Ireton  was  infected  and  died,  and  at 
the  point  of  his  death  was  so  nobly 
mmded  that  he  commanded  his  lieu- 
tenant-general, Edmund  Ludlow  and  the 
rest  of  Ills  officers  to  use  all  good  be- 
havior towards  O'Neill,  and  to  send 
him  with  his  own  corpse  into  England, 


and  bestow  on  him  tlirec  horses,  one  for 
himself  and  two  for  two  servants,  and 
means  to  defray  their  charges.  He  also 
wrote  a  letter  to  the  parliament,  humbly 
desiring  to  use  that  brave  warrior  with 
rdl  civility  and  humanity,  all  which  was 
actually  performed. 

Another  account  says  that  "  a  court- 
martial  was  held,  in  which  the  Governor 
(O'Neill)  having  been  condemned  to  die, 
the  Deputy  (Ireton)  asked  what  he  had  to 
say  for  himself.  He  replied  that  the  war 
had  been  long  on  foot  before  he  came 
over,  that  he  had  been  guilty  of  no  base 
or  dishonorable  act,  having  only  dis- 
charged the  duty  of  a  soldier  as  became 
a  man  subject  to  a  superior  power,  to 
which  he  must  be  accountable.  But  the 
blood  formerly  shed  at  Clonmel,  where 
O'Neill  had  been  governor,  made  such  an 
impression  on  the  Deputy,  that  his  judg- 
ment, which  was  of  great  weight  with  the 
court,  moved  them  a  second  time  to  vote 
him  to  die,  though  some  of  the  court 
earnestly  opposed  it,  for  the  reason  he 
had  mentioned  himself,  and  because 
whatever  he  had  been  guilty  of  before 
had  no  relation  to  these  articles.  The 
Deputy,  finding  some  of  the  officers  to  bo 
unsatisfied  with  the  judgment,  referred  it 
again  to  the  consideration  of  the  court, 
who  by  their  vote  consented  to  save  his 
life."  It  would  seem  that  Ireton  had 
persuaded  the  court  to  pronounce  the 
sentence  of  death  ;  but  Ludlow  and  some 
other  officers  interfered,  representing  to 
him  the  odium  which  such  an  execution 
would  bring  on  the  I'^nglish  name  abroad, 
where  O'Neill  was  well  known. 

On  O'Neill's  arrival  in  London,  Janu- 
ary loth,  1652,  he  was  committed  a  close 
prisoner  to  the  Tower,  for  being  in  arms 
against  the  Parliament.  Twenty  shillings 
a  week  was  allowed  for  his  support.  Don 
Alonzo  Cardenas,  the  Spanish  Ambassa- 
dor, proposed  to  the  Council  of  State  in 
July,  1650,  to  give  permission  to  the  Irish 
troops  to  pass  into  Spain,  especially  to 
Don  Hugo  O'Neill,  since  he  was  born  in 
Flanders,  and  consequently  a  Spanish 
subject,  having  besides  borne  no  part  in 
the  first  insurrection  in  Ireland,  nor  in 
the  excesses  which  took  place  there.  He 
seems  to  have  gone  to  Spain,  for  there 
is  a  letter  of  his  to  Charles  1 1.,  dated  from 
Madrid,  October  27th,  1660,  in  which  he 
solicits  the  restoration  of  his  family  to 
the  royal  favor.  He  assumed  there  the 
title  of  Earl  of  Tyrone. 

The  name  of  Daniel  O'Neill  occurs 
frequently  in  this  work.  He.  too,  was  a 
nephew  of  Owen  Roe.     Frpm  a  petition 


APPENDIX. 


which  he  presented  to  tlie  House  of 
Lords,  in  i64'»  we  learn  that  liis  grand- 
father and  fatlier  were  owners  of  all  the 
Upper  Clandebo3S  'and  Great  Ardcs,  in 
the  province  of  Ulster,  and  had  served 
the  Knglish  in  the  war  against  tiieir  own 
kindred,  and  that  his  father  had  been  in- 
duced by  undue  influence  to  transfer 
these  lands,  amounting  to  66,000  acres, 
to  Sir  Hugh  Montgomery  and  James 
Hamilton  for  the  sum  of  ;|/^6o  and  a  yearly 
rcntcf^i6o.  He  spent  his  early  life  in 
Holland,  in  the  army  of  the  Prince  of 
Orange.  Later  he  entered  tiie  English 
service,  and  was  known  as  an  officer  of 
name  and  repute.  At  the  beginning  of 
the  Irish  rebellion  he  was  accused 
cf  high  treason,  and  imprisoned  in  the 
Tower.  He  escaped  in  disguise  after  a 
confinement  c,i  six  months.  Soon  after 
we  find  him  lieutenant-general  of  Prince 
Rupert's  horse.  Clarendon  says  of  him 
that  "in  subtlety  and  understanding  he 
v.as  much  superior  to  the  whole  nation  of 
the  old  Irish,  a  great  discoverer  of  men's 
talents  and  humors,  of  good  experience 
in  the  most  active  armies  of  that  time, 
and  of  a  courage  very  notorious,  and  that 
Ormonde  loved  him  very  much,  and  had 
much  esteem  for  him."  One  of  the 
charges  lirought  against  Ormonde  in  the 
"  Declaration  "  of  Jamestown  was  his  too 
great  partiality  for  Daniel  O'Neill,  shown 
by  his  giving  him  a  command  of  wiiich 
he  had  deprived  Major-General  Purcell. 
Ormonde's  answer  was  :  "  The  manner  of 
Daniel  O'Neill's  coming  into  the  com- 
mand was  this:  he  had  taken-great  pains 
in  bringing  his  uncle  General  Owen 
O'Neill  to  submit  to  the  peace  and  his 
Majesty's  government,  and  he  did  effectu- 
ally labor  after  that  work  was  effected  to 
bring  the  Ulster  army  to  his  assistance, 
when  Cromwell  was  on  his  march  from 
Dublin  to  Wexford.  Owen  O'Neill 
being  sick,  the  army  was  conducted  by 
Lieutenant-General  Ferrall  and  Major- 
General  Hugh  O'Neill.  But  when  it 
joined  with  the  Leinster,  Munster,  and 
Connauglit  forces,  and  some  English  and 
Scotch  horse  and  foot,  he  found  great 
difficulty  how  to  distribute  orders  with 
satisfaction  to  all  these  parties,  the  Ulster 
partv  being  unwilling  to  receive  these 
from  Major-General  Hugh  O'Neill.  But 
all  parties  were  content  to  receive  them 
from  Daniel  O'Neill,  and  by  him  they 
were  distributed;  and  Major-General 
Ferrall  was  sent  into  Munster,  where  he 
had  and  exercised  a  cominand-in-chief  in 
the  absence  of  superior  officers.  Nor 
was  his   commission  annulled,  nor  any 


new  place  given  to  any  other  to  this  day." 
He  was  sent  l)y  Ormonde  to  make  pro- 
posals to  Owen  Roc,  and  it  was  mainly 
owing  to  his  exertions  that  the  treaty  was 
brougiit  about  between  them.  Ormonde 
was  anxious  that  he  should  be  appointed 
to  the  cliiif  command  of  the  Ulster  army 
after  Owen  Roe's  death.  But  his  religion 
stood  in  the  way,  for,  strange  to  say,  he 
was  a  Protestant.  In  1650  he  left  Ire- 
land, having  obtained  permission  from 
Ireton  to  transport  5,000  men  for  service 
to  Spain  or  Holland.  On  the  Continent 
he  was  one  of  the  most  active  ]\artisans 
of  Charles  II.  After  the  Restoration  he 
v/as  made  Postmaster-General.  He  died 
in  1664.  On  the  occasion  of  his  death, 
Charles  II.  wrote  to  the  Duchess  of 
Orleans,  "  This  morning  poor  O'Neill 
died  of  an  ulcer  in  his  guts.  He  was  as 
honest  a  man  as  ever  lived.  I  am  sure  I 
have  lost  a  good  servant  by  it." 


V. 


THE    SACK    OF    CASIIEL     BY 

INCHI(2UIN,    SEPTEMBER 

13x11,    1647. 

Narraih'c  by  Father  Andrciu  Sail  in  a 
Letter  to  Fatlier  John  Yonng. 

TiiR  year  1647  was  a  disastrous  one 
for  the  whole  of  Ireland,  and  the  times 
fell  most  heavily  on  Cashel,  the  Metro- 
politan sec  of  the  province  of  Munster. 
Lord  Inchiquin,  who  was  rightly  called 
the  scourge  of  God,  after  reducing  and 
burning  nearly  the  whole  of  this  district, 
moved  his  Parliamentary  army  upon 
Cashel.  The  garrison  of  the  city  num- 
bered only  four  hundred  men,  and  (he 
citizens  were  thrown  into  the  utmost  con- 
fusion by  the  difficulties  of  their  situation 
and  the  sudden  approach  of  the  enemy. 
The  garrison  deserted  the  walls,  and  re- 
tired to  St.  Patrick's  Rock,  while  a  great 
part  cf  the  inhabitants,  taking  wilhthem 
a  supply  of  provisions  and  most  of  their 
household  effects,  followed  the  soldiers 
thither.  The  remainder,  not  trusting  to 
the  protection  of  the  rock,  concealed 
themselves  in  the  outlying  country,  just 
in  time  to  escape  the  fast  advancing 
enemy.  The  Puritan  troops  entered  the 
citv  without  resistance,  and  after  making 
merry  on  the  food  and  drink  left  behind 
by  the  citizens,  lay  down  to  sleep.  '1  lie 
next  day,  which  was  the  feast  of  the  Ex- 
altation of  the  Holy  Cross,  the  enemy  le- 
connuitred  the  rock  and  its  defences  for 
the  space  of  an  hour,  although  informa- 


222  APPENDIX. 


tion  about  its  state  had  already  been  given  dicrs.     Unable  to   effect    an   entrance  in 

by  some  traitors,  Catholics  only  in  name,  this    direction,    the    Puritans   plant  their 

\\\\o,  after  having  lived  on  our  bounty  for  ladders  against   tiie  walls  of  the   church, 

a  long  time,  were   terror-stricken  at  tl.e  and  leap  tlnough  the  windows.     Hemmed 

enemy's  ravages,    and   had    disappeared,  in  on    all    sides,  nevertheless   our   brave 

We  believe  that  God  appointed  that  day  defenders   fight    with    the    energy  of  de- 

to  be  the  witness,  not  indeed    of   our  de-  spair,  and  nothing  could  be  heard  in  that 

struction,  but   of  our  glory,    and  it  was  ''3st  edifice  but  the  clash  of  arms  and  the 

meet  that  those  who  wished  to  taste  the  shouts  of  the  combatants.     For  upwards 

delight  of  the   Cross  must  first  share  its  of  half  an  hour   the  contest  raged  in  the 

ignominy.     When  the  reconnoitring  was  veiy   nave   of   the  cathedral  with    equal 

over,  the  hostile  army  divided  into  three  valor  on  both  sides,  but  unequal  forces, 

parlies,  whose  points  of  attack  were  the  the   fanatical   enemy   polluting   the  very 

three   weaker  portions   of    our   fortifica-  sanctuary,    and    dyeing    its   stones    with 

lions.     Before     attacking,   a    messenger  blood     consecrated     to    God     and    His 

left  their  lines  and  came  up  to  the  rock  to  Church.     At   length    our  defenders,  now 

treat  about  a  surrender  on  these   terms  :  reduced  to   sixty,   turn   and   ascend   the 

that   the   garrison  should   be  allowed  to  steps  of  the  bell-tower,  followed  by  the 

depart  with  their  muskets  and  with  bul-  enemy,  who    call    on  them  to   surrender, 

lets   in  bouche,  but  that  the  clergy  and  With  the  alternative  before  them  of  death 

citizens  should    be    left   to  llie  mercy  of  by  starvation  or  by  the   enemy's    sword, 

their  commander.     Here  the  bravery  of  they  give  themselves  up  on  condition  of 

the  Catholic  soldiers  shone  out,  and  they  their  lives  being  spared.     The  deceitful 

replied  that  they  would  risk  their  lives  in  commander   gave    his  word,  but  as  soon 

defence  of  those  whom   they    had  vowed  as  their  swords   were  collected  he  gave 

to  protect  rather   than  break  their  word,  the   order  to  kill  all   without    exception, 

and  that  they  preferred  to  dye  with  their  Many  are  at  once  cut  down,  some  of  the 

hearts'  blood  that  holy  ground  to  allow-  richer  citizens  arc  spared  in  hope  of  ran- 

ing  it  to  be  desecrated  by  heretical  mis-  som,  others   run  to   hide  themselves   in 

creants.     The   Puritan  leader  was  stung  the  crypts  and  vaults,  of  which  there  was 

to   the   quick   by   this  generous  answer,  a  great  number  about.    All,  however,  with 

and  ordered  the  charge  to  be   sounded,  the  exception  of  one  or  two,  are  either 

On   they  come  with  lightning  speed,  at  dispatched   by  the  sword  or  retained  as 

the  same  time  throwing  fire-brands  into  prisoners.     The    Bishop,    together   with 

the  air,  one  of  which,  happening  to  fall  the  Mayor  and  his  son,  and  a  few  others, 

into  the  vestibule  of  the  monastery  of  the  conceal  themselves  in  a  more  secure  ami 

P'riars    Minor,  set   the  hall   on  fire,  and  secret  hiding-place,  but  do  not  stir  there - 

burned  it  to  the  ground.     They  slack  not  from  until  assured  of  their  safety. 
their  speed  until  under  cover  of  the  walls,        Thus   ended   that   cruel  butchery  ami 

where  they  are  safe  out  of  range,  for  the  the    most   disgraceful  sacrilege  that   waj 

turrets  and  embrasures  were  too  high  to  ever  seen  in  Ireland.      We  lost  about  one 

admit  of  aim  being  taken  at  the  enemy  as  thousand    men,    the  enemy  at  least   five 

they  lay  at  close  quarters.    The  beseiged,  luindred.     Of  these    latter  twelve,  or  as 

therefore,    throw   away   their   guns,    and  some   say  sixteen,  were   descendants  cf 

climbing    up    the    steep    bastions,    hurl  the   same   family,  and  bore  about    them 

down    the  foe  as  they  appear  above  the  the    marks  of   that   disgrace    which  had 

scaling-ladders,    until    overcome   by    the  befallen  their  ancestors  on  account  of  the 

numbers  that  swarmed  up  the  north  wall,  injury  done  to  the  horses  of  St.  Thomas 

the  least   defensible  portion  of  the  fort,  of     Canterbury.     Three    of  the    secular 

they  fall  back  slowly,  intending  to   take  clergy,  the  Prior  of  the  I3ominicans,  an  J 

up   a   position  in    the  church.     Scarcely  one   of   our    Society,  fell   in    the    perfoi- 

have  they    begun    to    retreat    when    the  mance  of  their  sacred  duties.     Old  men 

eiiemy  press  round  them  on  all  sides  with  on  tlie  verge  of  the  grave,  whose  weapons 

renewed     energy.     The    very    cemetery  were  their   rosaries,  defenceless    women 

itself  is   disputed  inch   by  inch,  until   of  and  children,  were  struck  at  the  very  altars 

those    that   remained  outside  the  church  without  regard  to  age  or  sex.     Women, 

not  one  survived.     The  issue  of  the  day  whom     the    sword     had     spared,    were 

depends  on  the  capture  of  the  main  build-  stripped  and  sent  away,  yet  not  daring  to 

ing,  which  therefore  the  enemy  make  the  expose  their  nakedness  to  the    liglit    of 

centre  of  attack.     They  charge  the  north  day,  slunk  into  the  corners  of  the  temple 

and    south    doors,    but   are-  driven    back  and  covered  themselves  with  blood.    The 

with   no   less   determination  by  our  sol-  mind  sickens  at  the  thought ;  but   what 


APPENDIX. 


was  more  horrible  tlian  the  desecration  of    moving  tlie  iron  bars  from  the  window  of 
tlie  sacred   objects!     In    one    word,    tiie    a  honse,  a  stone  dropped   from  the    top- 
enemy,  exulting  over  their  prey,  hew  in    most  story,  and  falling  on  his  head  broke 
pieces    and   burn  all    the    statues,    over-   in  his  sku'll.      Lord  Inchiquin  himself  put 
throw  the  altars,  and  pollute  the  sacred    on  the  Archbishoi)'s  mitre,  boasting  aloud 
vessels.     The  large  crucifix  that  towered    that  he  was  the  Governor  of  Munster  and 
above  the   entrance  to  the  choir  had  its    the    Mayor  and    Archbishop   of    Cashel. 
head,hands,  and  feet  struck  off,  the  organ    Not  only  the  goods  of  the  citizens  and 
was  broken,  and  the  bells,  whose  chimes    the  church  ornaments  suffered  from  the 
cheered  our  soldiers  as  they  fought,  were    ravages  of  the  soldiers,  but  also  the  dwell- 
deprived  of  their  clappers  and  their  beau-    ings  in  the  city   and    the   houses  consc- 
tiful  tone.     Nothing  escaped  the  ruthless    crated    to    Cod.      Already    the    burning 
hand  of  the   spoiler.     The   Puritans  load    brands  were  applied  to  the  wooden  i)arti- 
themselves  with  the  goods  of  the  citizens,    tions,  wdien  some  of  the  chief  men  stepped 
with  which  the  church  was  filled  ;  they  ex-    forward,  and    by  the  promise  of   a  large 
cavate  the  very  crypts,  and  break  open    sum  of  money,  to  be  contributed  by  all  tlie 
the  marble  tombs  in    hope    of    ]ilunder.    citizens,  saved  the  city  from  a  deluge  of 
To  gain  credit   for   the    story    that   was    fire.     Yet  the  conflagration  could  not   be 
afterwards    circulated,'  that  only    six    or   got  under,  and  the  most  ancient  city  of 
seven  of  their  own  soldiers  were    slain,    Cashel,  that  had  seen  so  long  a  succession 
they  strip  the  clothing  off  their  dead,  and    of    kings  and  archbishops,  was  bumt    to 
drag  them  into  the  cliurch  and  cemetery,    the  ground.     That  city,   I   say,  which  be- 
that  they  may  not  be   distinguished  from    cause  it    had    received  the  light   of    the 
our  own  people.     All  the  passages,  even    faith  from  Patrick,  suffered  it  never  to  be 
the  altars,  chapels,    sacristies,  bell-tower    extinguished  or  obscured,  endured  such 
steps,  and  seats  were  so  thickly  covered    a  change  that  for  a  longtime  no  priest  or 
with  corpses,  that  one  could  not  walk  a    sacred'rite  was  seen  there.     Craced   by 
step  without   treading   on  a  dead    body,    the  trophies  of   so  many  victories  for  the 
Those    who  remember   the    splendor    of   faith,  strengthened  by  the    protection  of 
the  cathedral   in   the    celebration   of   the    so  many  patron  saints,  the  city  contains  a 
sacred  ceremonies  on  holidays   and   feast    Puritan  enemy  in  itsmidst.  ^  Hallowed  by 
days,  and  the  sumptuous  workmanship  of    the  presence  of  so  many  religious  orders, 
thealtars  and  monuments,  could  notbring    tlie  home  of   so  many  families  that  wor- 
themsclves  to  view  the  scene  of   horror,    shipped  God  in  fear  and  love,  in  one  hour 
or,   if  they  did  look   upon  it,  they  shed    the  devoted  city  pays  the  penalty  of  tlie 
abundant    tears     the     while.     Here    the    sinsof  Ireland.  And  the  cause  of  wonder 
course  of  cruelty  and    sacrilege,  did  not   to  all  is,  that  heaven  looks  upon  it  and  is 
end,  but  rather  increased  in   fury.      The    silent,  and  does  not  yet  avenge  the  death 
soldiers  sold  the  property  of    the  citizens,    of   its  saints.     Has  the  confidence  of  the 
the    church  furniture,    and     the     sacred    people  been  a  Vi'.in  one.?     Truly  we  should 
vessels  to  the  iieojjle  of  the  neighboring    rather  admire  than  question  the  judgments 
villages,  who  came  flocking  together  as  if    of    Cod;    we  should  rather  weep  for   our 
to  a  fair.      What  they  cannot  sell  is  either    sins  than  besiege  heaven  to  turn  aside  its 
torn  in  pieces  or  thrown  into  the  dung-pits,    wrath.     What  we  hope  for  is  that  Cashel 
Some  dress    themselves  in  the   precious    will  not  become  a  by-word  among  men,  and 
vestments,    and    with  birrettas    on  their   will  acquire  greater  glory  by  its  losses  for 
heads  invite  the  rest  to  Mass.    Others  dash    the  faith  than  by  its  triumphs.     While  we 
the    holy  images  against  the  walls,  and   mourn  that  loved  ones  are  no  more,  we 
others  again  bear  aloft  in  solemn  proces-    rejoice   that  they  are   crovyncd  with    the 
sion  a  headless  statue  of   the  Immaculate    martyr's  crown  above,  and  it  is  not  wrong 
Virgin,  exquisitely   wrought   with  golden    to  think  that  their  souls  are  in  bliss.     For 
tracerv.    The  pictures  of    St.  Patrick  and    on  the  nights  preceding  the    destruction 
St.  Ignatius,  together  with  those  of  other   of  the  city,  when  we  went  to  the  soldiers 
saints,  deaf  and  dumb  idols  as  they  called   of  the  garrison  and  exhorted  them  to  ab- 
them,wereturnedintohorse-cloths'orused    stain  from  swearing  and  other   practices 
as  sacks.      One   man  there   was,  who  on   of  the   camp,  we  found   them    compliant 
catching  sight   of    the  smaller  statue  of   beyond  measure,  and    prepared  to   .shed 
the  Blessed  Virgin  at  our   house,  scoffed    their  blood  for  the  faith.     Before  they  en- 
atit.saying:  "  Hownow,  Maryof  Ireland,   gaged  the  enemy  most  of    them  several 
how  now?     Eat    some    peas."     But   his    times,  all   at   least  once,    cleansed    their 
mockery  was  the  cause  of   his  death,  for    consciences  by  confession,  and    received 
for  a  little  time  after,  while   he   was    re-   the  Bread  of  Life.     But   if   they  are  de- 


22 1 


APPENmX. 


tained  \\\  the  clearisin<^  fire  of  purijatory, 
I  recommend  lliem  most  earnestly  to  tlie 
sacrifices  and  prayers  of  your  Reverence 
and  tlie  rest  of  the  Fathers  on  this  day, 
the  Commemoration  of  tlie  Souls  of  the 
Faitliful  Departed. 


VL 


THE  WALLINCx    OF    ROSS. 

New  Ross  was  formerly  styled  Nova 
Villa  Pontis  W'ilelmi  Marescalli,  liaving 
been  built  by  William  Earl  Marshal,  who 
married  the  grantl-daughter  of  Dermot 
McMorroiih,  near  the  monastery  of  Ross- 
mic-truin,  founded  in  the  sixth  century 
by  St.  Abban.  Holinshed  says,  "  It  was 
also  called  Rosse  Nova  or  Rosse  Ponte, 
by  reason  of  the  bridge,  that  which  they 
call  old  Ross  bearing  east  three  miles  into 
t!ie  countrie  of  Wexford."  The  same 
author  gives  the  following  curious  account 
of  the  building  of  the  walls  ;  "The  towne  is 
binlded  in  a  barren  sovle,  and  planted 
among  a  crew  of  naughtie  and  prowlyng 
neighbours.  And  in  olde  tyme  when  it 
tiourished,  albeit  the  towne  were  suf- 
ficiently peopled,  yet  as  long  as  it  was  not 
compassed  with  walles,  they  were  formed 
with  watche  and  warde,  to  keep  it 
from  the  greedy  snatchyng  of  the 
Irishe  enemies.  With  whome  as  they 
were  generally  molested,  so  the  pri- 
vat  consenyng  of  one  peasaunt  on  a 
sodayne  incensed  them  to  inviron  their 
towne  with  strong  and  substantial  walls. 
There  repayred  one  of  the  Irishe  to  this 
towne  on  horsebacke,  and  espying  a  piece 
of  clothe  on  a  merchant's  stall',  tooke  hold 
thereof,  and  bet  the  clothe  to  the  lowest 
pryce  he  could.  As  the  merchant  and  he 
stood  dodging  one  wyth  the  other  in 
cheaping  the  ware,  the  horseman  consider- 
ing that  he  was  well-mounted,  and  that  the 
merchant  and  he  had  growen  to  a  pryce, 
made  wyse  as  though  he  woulde  have 
drawen  to  his  purse  to  have  defrayed  the 
money.  The  clothe  in  the  meane  while 
being  tuckte  up  and  placed  before  him, 
hegave  tliespurre  to  his  hoi  sse,  and  ranne 
away  with  the  cloth,  being  not  imbard 
from  his  posting  pase,  by  reason  the 
towne  was  not  perrlosed  eyther  wyth  ditch 
or  wall.  The  townesmen  being  pincht  at 
the  heart  that  one  rascall  in  such  scornful 
wise  should  give  them  the  stampaine,  not 
so  much  weighing  the  sclendernesse  of  the 
losse  as  the  shamefulnesse  of  the  foyle, 
they  put  their  heads  together,  consulting 
how  to  prevent  eyther  the  sudden  rushing 
or  the  posthast  flying  of   any  such  adven- 


turous rakehell  hereafter.  In  which  con- 
sultation a  famous  Dido,  a  chaste  wydowe, 
a  politike  dame,  a  bountiful  woman  called 
Rose,  who  representing  in  sinceritie  of  life 
the  sweetnesse  of  that  herbe  whose  name 
she  bore,  unfolded  the  devise  how  any 
such  future  mischaunce  shoulde  be  pre- 
vented ;  and  withall  opened  her  coffers 
liberally  to  have  it  furthered,  two  good  pro- 
perties,in  acounsaylour.  Her  devise  was, 
that  the  towne  shoulde  incontintently  be 
inclosed  with  walles,  and  therewythal 
promised  to  discharge  the  charges,  so  that 
they  would  not  sticke  to  finde  out  labour- 
ers. The  devise  of  tl.'s  worthie  matrone 
being  wise,  and  the  offer  liberall,  the 
townesmen  agreed  to  follow  the  one  and 
to  put  their  helping  hande.s  to  the  achiev- 
ing of  the  other.  The  woike  was  begunne, 
which  through  the  multitude  of  handes 
seemed  light.  For  the  whole  towne  was 
assemblecl  tagge  and  ragge,  cutte  and  long 
tayle  ;  none  exempted  except  such  as 
were  bedrid  and  impotent.  Some  were 
tasked  to  delve,  others  appointed  with 
mattockes  to  digge,  divers  allotted  to  the 
unheaping  of  rubbishe,  many  bestowed  to 
the  caryage  of  stones,  sundry  occupied  in 
tempering  of  morter,  the  better  sort 
busied  in  overseeing  the  workemen,  cche 
one  according  to  hys  vocation  employed, 
as  though  the  citie  of  Carthage  were  a 
freshe  in  building,  as  it  is  featlye  verified 
by  the  golden  Poet  Virgil.  The  laberours 
were  so  many,  the  worke,  by  reason  of 
round  and  exchequer  payment,  so  well 
apnlyed,  the  quary  of  fayre  marble  so 
neere  at  hand,  that  these  walles  with 
diverse  brave  turrets  were  sodainly 
mounted,  and  in  manner  sooner  finished, 
than  to  the  Irishe  enemies  notified. 
These  walles  in  circuit  are  equal  to 
London  walles.  It  hath  three  gorgious 
gates,  Bishop  his  gate,  on  the  east  side  ; 
Allegate,  on  the  east-south-east  side  ;  and 
South  gate,  on  the  south  porte." 

This  bountiful  gentlewoman  was  proba- 
bly the  widow  of  Sir  Ralph  Meyler,  who 
obtained  a  grant  of  freedom  for  the  port 
from  Edward  III.  But  an  Anglo-Nor- 
man poem,  "Rithmus  facture  ville  de 
Rosse,"  an  old  manuscript  copy  of  which, 
supposed  to  be  in  the  handwriting  of  the 
author,  Friar  Michael  Bernaril  of  Kildare, 
now  among  the  Harleian  MSS.  in  the 
British  Museum,  says  Ross  was  fortified 
in  1265,  in  consequence  of  the  feud  then 
existing  between  Maurice  Fitzgerald, 
Baron  of  Offaly,  and  Walter  de  Burgo, 
Earl  of  Ulster,  "  whose  deadly  wars 
wrought  bloodshed  and  trouble  through- 
out the  realm  of  Ireland."     The  citizens, 


ArPKiVDIX. 


22^ 


fearing  they  should  suffer  in  consequence, 
enclosed  the  town.  Tliis  old  poem  was  in- 
serted by  vSir  Frederick  Madden,  in  vol. 
x.Kii.  of  the  A>-cIi(Tologia.  The  spirited 
translation  which  we  give  is  by  L.  E.  L. 
(.Mrs.  Mac  Lean)  :  it  is  taken  from  Crof- 
ton  Croker's  Popular  Songs  of  Ireland, 
who  gives  the  original  side  by  side  with 
it.  This  ballad  is  the  basis  of  Sir  .S.  Fer- 
guson's "  l\osabel  of  Ross  "  in  the  Diihliii 
(Jniversity  AfagaziiK:  : — " 

I  have  a  whim  to  speak  in  verse, 
Jf  you  will  list  what  I  rehearse, 
For  an  unheeded  tale,  I  wisse, 
Not  worth  a  clove  of  garlic  is. 
Please  you,  then,  to  understand, 
'Tis  of  a  town  in   Ireland; 
For  its  size  the  one  most  fair 
That  I  know  of  anywhere. 
I5ut  the  town  had  cause  of  dread 
In  the  feud  two  barons  spread; 
Sir  Maurice  —  and  Sir  Walter,  see, 
Mere  their  names  shall  written  be; 
Also  that  fair  city's  name  — 
Ross  they  then  did  call  the  same. 
'Tis  the  new  bridge-town  of  I^oss. 
Which  no  walls  did  then  enclose  : 
It  therefore  feaied  a  stranger's  blows. 
Commons  both,  and  leading  men, 
Gathered  in  the  Council  then, 
What  for  safety  to  devise, 
In  shortest  time  and  lowest  price  ; 
'Twas  that  round  the  town  be  thrown 
Walls  of  mortar  and  of  stone. 
For  this  war  filled  them  with  fear  ; 
Much  they  dreaded  broil  so  near. 
Candlemas,  it  was  the  day 
They  began  to  delve  in  clay, 
Marking  out  a  foss,  to  show 
Where  the  future  wall  should  go. 
Soon  'twas  traced,  and  then  were  hired 
Workmen;   all  the  task  desired. 
More  than  a  hundred  workmen  ply 
Daily  'neath  the  townsmen's  eye; 
Yet  small  advance  these  fellows  made, 
Though  to  labor  they  were  paid. 
So  the  Council  met  again  ; 
Such  a  law  as  they  passed  then  ! 
Such  a  law  might  not  l)e  found, 
Nor  on  P'rench  nor  English  ground. 
Next  day  a  summons  read  aloud, 
Gathered  speedily  a  crowd  ; 
When  the  law  proclaimed  they  hear, 
'Twas  received  with  many  a  cheer. 
Then  a  good  man  did  advance. 
And  explained  the  ordinance  ; 
Vintners,  drapers,  merchants,  all 
Were  to  labor  at  the  wall, 
From  the  early  morning  time, 
Till  the  day  was  in  its  prime. 
More  than  a  thousand  men,  I  say, 
Went  to  the  goodly  work  each  day. 


.Monday  they  began  their  labors, 

Gay  with  banners,  IJutes  and  tabours; 

Soon  as  the  noon  hour  was  come, 

'I'hcse  good  people  hastened  home. 

With  tlieir  banners  proudly  borne. 

Then  the  youth  advanced  in  turn, 

And  the  town  they  made  it  ring 

With  their  merry  carrolling; 

Singing  loud  and  full  of  mirth, 

/\way  tlicy  go  to  shovel  earth. 

And  the  jMiests,  when  Mass  was  changed, 

In  the  foss  they  dug  and  panted  : 

Quicker,  harder,  worked  each  brothei-. 

Harder  far  than  any  other; 

For  both  old  and  young  did  feel 

Great  and  strong  with  holy  zeal. 

Mariners  came  next,  and  they 

Pass'd  along  in  fair  array. 

With  their  banner  borne  before, 

Which  a  painted  vessel  bore. 

Full  six  lunulred  were  they  then; 

l')Ut  full  eleven  hundred  men 

Would  have  gathered  by  the  wall. 

If  they  had  attended  all. 

Tuesday  came  —  coatmakers,  tailors. 
Fullers,  cloth-dyers,  and  "sellers  ;  " 
Right  good  hands,  these  jolly  blades, 
Were  they  counted  at  their  trades. 
Away  they  worked  like  those  before. 
Though  the  others  numbered  more; 
Scarce  four  hundred  did  they  stand, 
l'>ut  they  were  a  worthy  band. 

Wednesday  following  down  there  came 

Other  bands  who  worked  the  same; 

Butchers,  cordwainers,  and  tanners. 

Hearing  each  their  separate  banners. 

Tainted  as  might  appertain 

To  their  craft,  and,  'mid  the  train 

Many  a  brave  bachelor; 

.Small  and  great  were  numbered  o'er, 

Singing,  as  they  worked,  their  song, 

Just  three  hundred  were  they  strong. 

Thursday  came,  the  fishermen 
And  the  hucksters  followed  then. 
Who  sell  corn  and  fish  :  they  bear 
Divers  banners,  for  they  were 
Full  four  hundred;  and  the  crowd 
CarroUtd  and  sung  aloud  ; 
And  the  wainwrights,  they  came  too  — 
Thev  were  only  thirty-two; 
A  single  banner  went  before, 
Whicii  a  fish  and  platter  bore. 

But  on  Saturday  the  stir 
Of  blacksmitli,  mason,  carpenter. 
Hundreds  three  with  fifty  told. 
Many  were  they,  true  and  bold  ; 
And  thev  toiled  with  main  and  might 
Needful  knew  thev  'twas  and  right. 


22() 


APPENDIX. 


Then  on  Sunday  there  came  down 
All  the  dames  of  that  brave  town  ; 
Know,  good  laborers  were  they, 
liut  their  numbers  none  may  say. 
On  the  ramparts  there  were'thrown 
By  their  fair  hands  many  a  stone; 
Who  had  there  a  gazer  been, 
Many  a  beauty  miglit  have  seen. 
Many  a  scarlet  mantle  too, 
Or  of  green  or  russet  hue  ; 
Many  a  fair  cloak  had  they, 
And  robes  dight  witii  colors  gay. 
In  all  lands  where  I  have  been, 
Such  fair  dames  working,  I've  not  seen. 
He  who  had  to  choose  the  power. 
Had  been  born  in  lucky  hour. 
Many  a  banner  was  displayed, 

While  the  work  the  ladies  aid; 

When  their  gentle  hands  had  done 

Piling  up  rude  heaps  of  stone. 

Then  they  walked  the  foss -along, 

Singing  sweet  a  cheerful  song; 

And  returning  to  the  town 

All  these  rich  dames  there  sat  down  ; 

Where,  with  mirth  and  wine  and  song. 

Passed  the  pleasant  hours  along. 

Then  they  said  a  gate  they'd  make. 

Called  the  Ladies',  for  their  sake, 

And  their  prison  there  should  be; 

Whoso  entered,  straightway  he 

Should  forgo  his  liberty. 

Lucky  doom,  I  ween,  is  his 

Who  a  lady's  prisoner  is  ; 

Light  the  fetters  are  to  wear 

Of  a  lady  kind  and  fair; 

But  of  them  enough  is  said, 

Turn  we  to  the  foss  instead. 

Twenty  feet  that  foss  is  deep. 
And  a  league  in  length  doth  creep, 
When  the  noble  work  is  done, 
Watchmen  then  there  needeth  none ; 
All  may  sleep  in  peace  and  quiet 
Without  fear  of  evil  riot. 
Fifty  thousand  might  attack. 
And  yet  turn  them  bootless  back. 
Warlike  stores  there  are  enou'di. 
Bold  assailant  to  rebuff. 
We  have  hauberks  many  a  one, 
Savage,  garcon,  haubergeon  ; 
Doublets  too,  and  coats  of  mail, 
Yew  bows  good  withouten  fail. 
In  no  city  have  I  seen 
So  many  good  glaives,  I  ween. 
Crossbows  hanging  on  the  wall, 
Arrows  too,  to  shoot  withal; 
Every  house  is  full  of  maces, 
And  good  shields  and  talevaces. 
Crossl)ow  men,  when  numbered  o'er. 
Are  three  hundred  and  three  score; 
And  three  hundred  archers  show. 
Ready  with  a  gallant  bow  ; 


And  three  thousand  men  advance. 
Armed  with  battle  a.ve  and  lance  ; 
AbovQ  a  hundred  knights  who  wield 
Arms  aye  ready  for  the  field. 
I  warrant  you  the  town's  prepared 
'Cainst  all  enemies  to  guard. 
Here  I  deem  it  meet  to  say. 
No  desire  for  war  have  they. 
But  to  keep  their  city  free. 
Blamed  of  no  man  can  they  be. 
When  the  wall  is  carried  round, 
None  in  Ireland  will  be  found 
Bold  enough  to  dare  to  hglu. 
Let  a  foeman  come  in  sight. 
If  the  city  horn  twice  sound, 
ICvery  burgess  will  be  found 
Eager  in  the  warlike  labor. 
Striving  to  outdo  his  neighbor  ; 
God  give  them  the  victory; 
Say  amen  for  charity. 
In  no  otiier  isle  is  known 
Such  a  hospitable  town  ; 
Joyously  the  people  greet 
Every  stranger  in  their  street. 
Free  is  he  to  sell  and  buy, 
And  sustain  no  tax  thereby. 
Town  and  people  once  again 
I  commend  to  Cod.     Amen. 

VII. 

REVOLT  OF  THE  MUNSTER  GAR- 
RISONS TO   CROMWELL. 

The  following  are  the  depositions  made 
by  the  leading  "Revolters  "  in  each  of  the 
garrisons. 

Cork. 

Colonel  Richard  Townsend,  now  resi- 
dent in  Castlehaven,  English  Protestant, 
at  tlie  declaring  of  Cork  for  the  Parlia- 
ment of  England,  October  i6th,  1649,  a 
prisoner  in  said  city,  being  duly  sworn, 
saith :  That  about  three  days  before  the 
declaring  of  Cork,  Captain  Robert  Myhill 
came  to  this  E.x-aminant's  chambers  where 
he  was  committed,  and  informed  him  that 
Colonel  Sterling,  then  governor  of  Cork, 
commanded  him  to  acquaint  this  E.  that 
the  Lord  Inchiquin  had  ordered  Colonel 
jefford  should  be  sent  to  Bandon  Bridge, 
and  Colonel  Wanlen,  to  the  fort  of  Cork, 
and  this  E.  to  the  fort  of  Kinsale  the  next 
morning:  upon  which  tidings  the  IC.  with 
his  partners  were  very  much  troubled,  and 
did  believe  their  separation  was  with  in- 
tent to  have  them  speedily  executed. 
Whereupon  Captain  Myhill  took  E.  aside, 
and  advised  him  to  endeavor  their  con- 
tinuance in  the  place  where  they  were, 
and  he  did  believe  it  would  be  much  to 
their  security,  and  thereupon  acquainted 


APPENDIX. 


227 


him  of  an  intention  of  several  persons  to 
secure  tlie  city  and  fort  of  Corkand  castle 
of  Shandon  for  the  Parliament  of  Eng- 
land and  the  then  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ire- 
land. He  well  remembered  that  the 
same  night  of  the  declarmg  lie  saw 
Colone  John  Jefford,  William  Warden, 
Cliarles  Blunt,  John  Hodder,  Lieutenant- 
Colonels  William  Reeves  and  Thomas 
Dowdridge,  Captains  Robert  I\l3hill, 
i'eter  Carew,  C.eorge  Bell,  Captain-Lieu- 
tenant Richard  Burnell,  Lieutenants 
Tliomas  Hewett  and  John  Thomas,  En- 
signs Roland  Langford,  Samuel  Pomeroy, 
Thomas  Benger,  Capt.  Thomas  Dethick, 
Thomas  Powell,  Captain  Henry  Rogers, 
and  Thomas  Boles,  to  be  very  active  in 
securing  said  city,  fort,  and  castle  for  the 
English   interest. 

Colonel  Charles  Blunt,  now  resident  at 
Clonmcl,  English  Protestant,  at  the  de- 
claring of  Cork  commanding  a  regiment 
of  foot  in  Lord  Inchiquin's  army.  That 
night  he  saw  Jefford,  ^  Townsend,  and 
Warden  at  first  drawing  of  the  men  to- 
gether at  the  mainguard,  very  active  in 
liromoting  said  work;  and  particularly 
that  Colonel  Jefford  secured  Colonel  Ster- 
ling, then  governor  of  Cork. 

Captain  Peter  Carew,'  now  resident  at 
Rosscarbery,  at  the  declaring  of  Cork,  a 
captain  of  foot  in  that  city.  Two  months 
before  the  declaring  of  the  city,  E.  and 
Captain  Myhill  had  several  meetings  to 
contrive  the  surrender  of  Cork,  which,  by 
the  bless'ing  of  God,  was  effected  with 
the  assistance  of  Colonels  Townsend, 
Gifford,  and  Warden,  then  imprisonerl  for 
Inchi([uin;  and  also  one  sergeant  Hugh 
Buckiand,  then  in  the  fort  of  Cork,  under 
the  command  of  Colonel  Agmondisham 
Muschamp,  tlien  governor  thereof,  was 
of  the  council  four  days  before,  and  did 
assist  by  removing  a  sentinel  and  giving 
an  opportunity  by  placing  of  a  laddeiand 
entrance  by  a  port-hole  which  was  ef- 
fected by  the  industry  of  Captain  Robert 
Myhill,  with  a  small  party  of  men,  said 
Muschamp  being  absent,  who  took  the 
lieutenant,  ensign,  and  about  twenty  more 
that  kept  the  same. 

Captain  Robert  Myhill,  a  captain  in 
Colonel  Sterling's  regiment.  About  six 
weeks  before  the  declaring  of  Cork,  consid- 
ering with   himself  the  sad  condition  the 

^  The  name  is  written,  Carew,  Gary,  and 
Carey;  the  latter  is  the  form  used  in  the 
signature.  His  widow  and  son  obtained  a 
grant  under  the  Act  of  Settlement  of  lands  in 
the  county  of  Cork,  on  the  Blackwater.  two 
miles  east  of  Fernioy,  where  his  desceitJants 
still  reside. 


English  interest  was  then  brought  into,  he 
cast  about  in  his  own  thoughts  what  was 
best  for  him  and  the  other  English  Protes- 
tants to  do,  in  order  to  freeing  himself  and 
them.  So  went  into  the  shop  of  one  Cap- 
tain Thomas  Bowles,  to  whom  he  opened 
his  mind,  and  told  P)Owles  he  thought 
it  advisable  to  use  some  means  for  deliver- 
ing himself  and  others  from  the  bondage 
they  were  in  (the  Lord  Incliiquin  having 
joined  with  the  Irish) ;  and  thus  having 
a  great  influence  on  him,  told  him  that  he 
had  about  eight  good  men  of  his  own  com- 
pany who,  he  was  sure,  would  stand  by 
him. 

Bowles  promised  to  influence  the  towns- 
people also.  When  several  officers  had 
secured  the  mainguard,  the  two  ports  of 
the  city,  and  placed  a  guard  upon  Colonel 
Sterling  and  others  wiiom  they  durst  not 
trust,  E.  with  fourteen  private  soldiers, 
about  twelve  o'clock  the  same  night,  went 
to  surprise  the  fort,  which  he  soon  effected 
by  going  in  at  a  port-hole  where  a  senti- 
nel "was  wont  to  be  set,  one  Sergeant 
Buckiand  being  promised  /50  to  remove 
said  sentinel,  and  also  he  surprised  in  the 
fort  a  lieutenant  and  thirty-four  soldiers, 
the  governor  Muschamp  being  that  night 
at  his  farm,  and  having  no  knowledge  of 
Ids  design.  Nor  durst  they  inform  him, 
being  looked  upon  as  a  great  enemy  to  the 
English   interest. 

William  Sexton,  mason,  now  resident 
at  Cork,  saw  Thomas  Hooper,  and  others, 
about  eleven  o'clock,  making  barricadoes 
at  the  mainguard  with  butcher's  blocks 
and  other  materials,  for  better  securing 
the  same  in  case  any  rising  should  be  in 
the  town. 

Colonel  Robert  Phayre,  now  governor 
of  Cork,  about  the  end  of  August,  1649, 
knew  divers  persons  of  his  old  acquain- 
tance who  were  in  Lord  Inchiquin's  army, 
and  taken  at  the  rout  before  Dublin, 
which  he  knew  to  be  .honest-hearted 
toward  the  English  interests  ;  and  some 
of  these  stayed  by  his  advice  in  Inchi- 
quin's army  to  serve  said  interest ;  and 
therefore  E.  made  it  his  request  to  Lord- 
Lieutenant  Cromwell  and  Lord  Iretonthat  \ 
such  of  said  persons  as  he  might  choose  \ 
might  have  paroles  to  come  down  to 
Munster,  to  procure  their  ransom  and 
exchange,  which  was  only  a  disguise  for 
their  employment  thither  in  the  county  of 
Cork,  and  had  instructions  to  several  well- 
affected  i)ersons  to  inform  them  of  the 
Lord  Lieutenant's  design  to  redeem  the 
luiglish  inhabitants,  and  said  county  and 
t!ie  ports  atljacent,  from  the  bondage 
Inchiquin  had  brought  them  under. 


228 


APPENDIX. 


YOUGHAL. 

Ensign  Nicholas  Monkton,  English 
Protestant,  now  resident  at  Ballingarry  — 
in  the  county  of  Limerick,  at  the  securing 
of  Youghal  for  the  parliament,  an  ensign 
in  the  town.  A  few  days  before  the  first 
declaring  of  Youghal,  Captain  Henry 
Smithick,  acquainted  E.  with  a  resolution 
of  several  officers  in  Youghal  to  secure 
the  town  for  the  Parliament  of  England. 

The  same  nigiit  on  which  they  did  de- 
clare, Captain  John  Widenham  and  others 
did  meet  to  consider  the  best  way  for  the 
prosecuting  of  the  design,  and  to  inform 
themselves  what  their  expectations  might 
be  of  Colonel  Warden,  who  had  promised 
to  come  with  a  party  of  horse  to  their 
assistance.  Notwithstanding  thev  had 
certain  information  that  Colonel  Warden, 
with  others,  were  taken  prisoners  by  the 
Lord  of  Incliiquin,  yet  they  prosecuted 
their  former  resolution.  The  next  morn- 
ing after  the  declaring,  the  Lord  of  Inchi- 
quin  came  before  the  town  with  a  party  of 
horse,  and  sent  a  messenger  to  desire  that 
some  might  be  sent  to  treat  with  him; 
and  both  Captain  Widenham  and  Captain 
Thomas  Graham  went  forth,  and  on  the 
second  and  third  day  after  there  were  con- 
ditions made  between  tiiem  ;  but  what  they 
were  E.  knoweth  not,  only  that  .Sir  Piercy 
Smyth,  formerly  governor  by  the  Lord 
Inchiquin'sappointment,  was  then  restored 
to  his  command.  And  about  a  fortnight 
after  Cork  had  declared  for  the  English 
interest.  Colonels  Gifford  and  Warden 
came  with  a  party  of  horse  to  secure  the 
garrison  of  Youghal  for  the  Parliament  of 
England.  About  seven  o'clock  at  night 
E.  and  others  were  drinking  a  pint  of  wine 
at  the  White  Hart.  There  came  in  a  little 
boy  or  maid  and  told  them  that  Colonels 
Warden  and  Gifford  were  come  with  a 
party  of  horse.  Whereupon  they  immedi- 
ately ran  down  to  the  iron  gate,  where  they 
found  Sir  Piercy  Smyth,  then  governor, 
and  Colonel  ALinhood,  with  some  of  their 
servants,  having  drawn  the  chain  of  the 
iron  gate  witli  an  intent,  as  he  conceives, 
to  secure  it  till  they  had  made  some  condi- 
tions. But  E.  with  Dashwood  and  Smyth, 
observing  Ca])tain  Widenham  to  be  come 
with  his  company  to  the  other  side  of  the 
gate  and  calling  to  have  the  gate  open, 
sent  away  Sir  Piercy  .Smyth  and  Colonel 
Manhood  to  their  homes  (where  they  were 
secured),  and  immediately  opened  the  gate. 

Major  Jasper  Farmer,  English  Protes- 
tant, then  resident  at  Garmore,  in  the 
county  of  Cork,  was  told  by  Major 
Foulkethat  his  brother  Lieutenant  Foulke 


was  sent  by  Colonel  Phayre  from  Dublin 
to  him,  that  he  might  engage  as  manv 
English  then  of  Inciiiquin's  army  to  do 
their  utmost  in  securing  the  chief  garri- 
sons of  Munster  for  the  then  Parliament. 
And  among  the  rest  Foulke  engaged  him 
to  use  his  endeavors  in  the  work.  Where- 
upon he  accjuainted  Colonel  Richard 
Townsend  and  several  others,  who  were 
ready  to  yield  their  assistance.  Major 
Foulke  told  him  that  he  would  go  to 
Youghal  to  engage  the  officers  there,  which 
he  did  ;  and  some  small  time  after  there 
was  a  day  appointed  by  Major  Foulke, 
Colonels  Townsend,  Warden,  and  himself, 
to  meet  at  Tallow,  and  there  to  make  what 
party  of  horse  they  could,  and  intended 
from  thence  to  have  marched  to  Youghal. 
in  order  to  have  joined  themselves  with 
those  who  had  engaged  to  secure  the  town. 
Put  so  it  was  that  one  Johnson,  who  had 
taken  his  oath  to  be  faith  ful  in  tlie  business, 
discovered  the  same  to  the  Lord  of  Inchi- 
quin,  and  by  thi^t  means  Inchiquin  sent  a 
party  toTallow  and  apprehended  Colonels 
Warden  and  Gifford,  and  so  prevented 
the  bringing  of  the  horse  to  Youghal. 
Townsend  made  his  escape  into  the  coun- 
try ;  but  the  next  morning  he  was  appre- 
hended in  his  own  house.  But  by  this 
time  the  town  of  Youghal  had  actually  de- 
clared for  the  Parliament,  which  he  and 
Major  Foulke  hearing  of,  took  a  cott  and 
went  down  by  water  to  Youghal,  and 
having  joined  themselves  with  the  officers 
there,  at  a  council  of  war  resolved  to 
maintain  the  town  for  the  English  interest. 
The  next  day  after  the  town  declared, 
Inchiquin  came  with  force  and  encamped 
before  the  town,  and  it  was  by  the  counciJ 
resolved  that  the  town  should  be  defended 
against  him.  The  soldiers  upon  the  walls 
cried  out  that  the  town  might  be  defended 
against  Inchiquin  and  the  Irish;  but  after 
some  jealousy  of  Captains  Widenham  and 
Graham,  articles  were  agreed  upon  by  con- 
sent of  the  officers  for  the  redelivering  of 
the  said  garrison  to  Inchiquin,  upon  con- 
ditions that  none  of  the  English  might  be 
drawn  out  of  the  said  town  nor  Irish  put 
in. 

Colonel  John  Widenham,  English  Prot- 
estant, now  residing  at  Adare,  in  the 
county  of  Limerick,  and  at  the  time  of  se- 
curing of  Youghal  for  the  Parliament  of 
England  and  the  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ire- 
land a  captain  in  the  said  town.  At  the 
first  declaring  of  Youghal  he  and  Cap- 
tain Smithick  had  frequent  consultations 
about  the  securing  of  the  town  ;  and  that 
which  moved  the  discourse  and  action  was 
the  sense  that  Captain  S.  had  of  the  danger 


APPESDIX. 


220 


tlie  town  was  then  in,  and  the  English 
interest,  for  that  tiie  Lord  Inchiquin  had 
not  only  joined  with  the  Irish,  but  also 
intended  to  place  an  Irish  garrison  in  the 
town  and  to  draw  out  the  I^nglish  then  in 
the  town.  Knsign  Nicholas  Monkton  was 
within  the  iron  gate  when  the  gate  was 
opened  to  let  hini  in  with  his  company,  and 
some  of  the  party  of  horse  that  came  from 
Cork. 

KlXSALE. 

Mr.  Robert  Southwell,  at  the  rendition 
of  Kinsale  to  the  Parliament,  Nov.  12th, 
1649,  an  inhabitant  of  Kinsale,  remem- 
bers that  a  few  days  before,  i\Iajor 
Woodliff  came  to  Kinsale  with  about  60 
soldiers,  who  were  received  into  th'e  town, 
being  reputed  a  friend  ;  being  Englishmen 
made  them  to  be  joyfully  received.  They 
maintained  the  guard  of  the  Englishtown. 
Near  100  of  the  Irish  soldiers  that  came 
into  the  town  from  the  fort  were  taken, 
disarmed,  and  secured  in  the  magazine. 
At  the  time  of  Cork's  declaring  for  the 
Parliament,  the  town  of  Kinsale  was  se- 
cured by  the  English  and  Irish  inhabitants 
of  the  same,  and  not  by  the  soldiers  of  the 
army  in  pay  ;  and  before  the  declaring  of 
Cork  Colonel  Crosby,  with  about  500  men, 
was  sent  by  Lord  Inchicjuin  to  secure  the 
fort  and  town  for  the  King,  which  it  could 
not  oppose,  though  very  fearful  to  receive 
them  being  Irish.  About  a  fortnight 
before  the  town  declared,  Crosby  drew  all 
his  soldiers  out  of  ihe  town  into  the  fort. 
About  Nov.  I2lh,  1649,  the  inhabitants 
convened  themselves  together,  viz.,  the 
chief  of  both  Irish  and  English,  and  agreed 
to  declare  for  the  Commonwealth,  in  order 
to  which  they  drew  up  a  letter,  which  they 
subscribed,  and  directed  to  Lord  Proghill 
and  Colonel  I'hayre,  acquainting  them, 
and  desiring  some  assistance  of  horse  and 
foot  for  the  taking  of  the  fort,  to  which 
work  the  inhabitants  did  yield  their  best 
endeavors.  An  answer  was  returned  with 
assurance  that  said  inhabitants  should  be 
reckoned  under  the  same  care  with  their 
own  jiarty,  and  jMoiiised  assistance,  which 
was  sent  next  day  ;  and  Captain  Cuffe  was 
sent  with  a  troop  of  horse  into  the  Iwrony 
of  Coursies,  on  the  fort  side,  to  besiege 
it;  and  Colonel  Gifford  with  some  others 
came  to  Kinsale,  where  the  towns-peojile 
planted  a  gun  upon  Compass  Hill  over 
against  the  fort,  from  whence  were  made 
about  si.x  or  seven  shot,  and  soon  after  it 
was  delivered  to  Lord  liroghill  upon  con- 
ditions. 

William  Wolf,  of  Cork,  at  the  rendition 
of  Cork  an  inhabitant  of  the  town.     At  the 


time  of  Cork's  declaring,  the  town  of 
Kinsale  was  wholly  secured  by  the  Eng- 
lish and  Irish  inhabitants  for  Lord  Inchi- 
quin ;  and  at  the  arrival  of  Colonel  Crosby 
with  about  600  men,  the  commonalty  of 
the  town  shut  the  gates  against  him;  but 
the  sovereign  and  other  chief  men  of  the 
town  went  out  to  Crosby  and  agreed  that 
he  and  his  party  should  come  into  the 
town,  where  he  stayed  about  a  week,  and 
then  drew  into  the  fort.  He  did  exceed- 
ingly oppress  the  town,  demanding  not 
only  cadows,  but  also  exacting  money, 
from  the  inhabitants  and  meat  from  several 
merchants,  which  did  put  the  town  upon 
declaring,  and  which  he  believes  was  the 
only  reason  for  so  doing.  On  Tuesday 
niglit  being  resolved  to  declare,  they  sent 
for  some  of  the  Irish  inhabitants,  in  par- 
ticular the  sovereign,  to  come  and  join 
with  them;  but  at  first  he  was  unwilling 
and  wept,  but  at  length  consented,  ancl 
sent  a  letter  to  Cork  to  Lord  Broghill. 

TiMOLEAGUE. 

John  Godfrey,  minister  of  Timoleague, 
at  the  time  of  the  rendition  of  Timoleague 
castle  for  the  Parliament,  November,  1649, 
an  inhabitant  of  Timoleague.  Remembers 
that  Captain  Swete  acquainted  him  of  his 
purpose  to  secure  the  castle  for  the  Eng- 
lish interest,  and  that  he  had  despatched 
letters  into  England  intimating  so  much, 
and  likewise  for  the  coming  of  shipping 
into  the  bay.  '  That  afterwards  Swete  ac- 
quainted him  that  he  had  received  orders 
from  Lord  Inchiquin  to  march  with  his 
company  from  the  castle,  and  desired  E. 
to  frame  a  petition  in  the  name  of  the 
gentlemen  and  other  inhabitants  of  the 
country  and  present  it  to  Lieutenant 
General  I5arry,  that  Swete  and  his  com- 
pany might  be  continued  among  them. 

John  Barnes,  of  Clonakilty,  English 
Protestant,  at  the  rendition  of  the  castle 
of  Timoleague  sergeant  in  the  castle. 
Remembers  Captain  Swete,  thengovernor 
and  captain  of  the  castle,  did  acquaint  him 
of  his  intention  of  securing  the  castle  for 
Parliament,  and  willed  de])onent  to  dis- 
course his  comj^an)-,  which  consisted  of 
about  32  men  in  the  castle,  and  try 
whether  they  would  join  in  the  design. 
He  did  discourse  with  them,  and  finding 
them  ready  to  join,  acquainted  Swete,  who 
directed  E.  to  bring  them  two  or  three,  at 
a  time  to  himself,  which  was  done.  E. 
was  sent  to  Randon  to  inform  Lord 
Hroghill  that  they  had  secured  the  castle 
for  the  Parliament,  and  had  seven  Irish 
[jrisoncrs.  He  found  Lord  Progliill  had 
marched  from  Randon,  and  left    Colonel 


230 


APPENDIX. 


Warden  governor,  who  ordered  tl\e  pris- 
oners to  be  brought  to  Bandon. 

Bandoxijridge. 

Abraham  Savage,  now  resident  at  Ban- 
donbridge  and  at  the  time  of  the  rendition. 
Suddenly  after  the  declaration  of  Cork  for 
the  Parliament,  Lord  Inchiquin,  being 
jealous  of  the  town  following  the  exam- 
ple of  Cork,  ordered  Captain  Constantine 
with  a  troop  of  horse  to  possess  himself 
of  said  town,  and  disarm  all  townsmen  ; 
and  Inchiquin  ordered  a  company  or  two 
of  Irish  into  the  town,  but  soon  after  ob- 
serving the  disaffection  of  the  town 
towards  the  Irish  soldiers,  ordered  one 
Colonel  Francis  Courtenay  to  be  governor, 
who  brought  in  his  own  company,  and  soon 
after  all  the  Irish  were  removed  ;  and  the 
townsmen  came  several  times  to  E.,  ex- 
pressing their  readiness  to  attempt  the 
seizing  of  the  governor,  officers,  and 
guards  then  in  the  town,  and  secure  it  for 
the  Parliament,  but  could  not  effect  their 
purpose  ;  and  also  Captain  Braly  and  some 
others,  a  day  or  two  before  Broghill  came 
with  a  force  against  the  town,  secured  the 
west  guard  of  the  town,  and  disarmed  the 
soldiers,  turning  them  out ;  but  it  being 
so  sudden  a  business,  such  as  were  ap- 
pointed to  seize  on  the  other  guards  were 
prevented,  the  design  being  discovered. 
And  so  those  persons  were  beseiged  in 
the  said  guard  by  the  soldiers  then  in 
town,  and  several  shots  made  at  them,  so 
they  were  constrained  to  yield  themselves 
prisoners;  and  that  night  the  inhabitants 
dispatched  William  Bull  to  Lord  Broghill, 
informing  him  of  the  danger  of  the  persons 
taken  prisoners,  and  desiring  him  with 
some  forces  to  come  before  the  town,  the 
inhabitants  engaging  that  if  the  governor 
did  not  deliver  up  the  town,  they  havinj^ 
his  countenance  would  open  the  postern 
gate  by  seizing  on  the  sentinel,  and  receive 
them  into  the  town;  but  when  Lord 
Broghill  came,  hostages  were  sent  forth, 
and  the  town  suddenly  delivered  by  the 
Governor  on  conditions  only  made  for 
himself  and  his  soldiers. 

Nathaniel  Cleere,  of  Bandonbridge, 
merchant.  Remembers  the  inhabitants 
of  the  town,  about  Nov.  i6th,  in  tiie  fore- 
noon, did  endeavor  to  surprise  the  guard 
of  the  west  gate,  at  which  time  other  jjer- 
sons  were  appointed  to  sur.prisetwo  other 
guards,  but  were  discovered  and  im- 
prisoned. Next  day  Lord  Broghill  came 
against  the  town  with  a  ])arty  of  horse 
and  foot,  when  these  persons  told  the 
governor,  Colonel  Courtenay,  that  it  was 
in  vain  for  him  to  oppose  them,  for  they 


were  resolved  to  deliver  up  said  town  to 
Lord  Broghill:  thereupon  Colonel  Courte- 
nay desired  them  not  to  deliver  him  up 
before  he  had  one  hour's  time  to  make 
conditions  for  himself  and  party,  which 
was  granted;  and  that  time  expired,  Mr. 
Savage  and  an  officer  belonging  to  the  . 
said  colonel  were  sent  forth  to  treat  with 
Lord  Broghill,  to  whose  pleasure  the  town 
wholly  referred  itself.  And  there  was 
only  one  gun  fired  from  a  flanker  by  one 
of  Courtenay's  gunners,  who  with  his 
men  departed  second  next  day,  and  some 
the  day  following;  and  the  inhabitants 
live  since  quietly  without  giving  any  as- 
sistance to  the  Irish  or  other  enemies  of 
the  Commonwealth. 

Hallbowline. 

Edward  Ilohvell,  in  October,  1649,  a 
sergeant  employed  in  the  fort.  The  sec- 
oncf  day  after  the  rendition  of  Cork,  being 
in  the  fort,  and  having  with  him  T"liomas 
Davis,  Sergeant  Richard  Estcourt,  gun- 
ner, and  some  private  soldiers,  said  Davis 
and  E.  conferred,  and  speedily  resolved 
to  deliver  the  fort,  and  thereupon  called 
the  gunner,  captain,  and  soldiers,  and  ac- 
quainted them  with  their  resolution,  who 
were  ready  and  gave  their  assistance, 
first  in  securing  Captain  Whitcraft,  gov- 
ernor there,  and  his  lieutenant,  and  set- 
ting the  guards  for  keeping  said  fort  for 
the  Commonwealth,  and  sent  away  the 
captain  and  lieutenant  prisoners  to  Cork. 

Richard  Estcourt,  gunner.  Two  days 
after  the  declaring  of  Cork,  the  governor 
sent  his  lieutenant  to  Lord  Inchiquin,  to 
obtain  more  forces  for  securing  of  Hall- 
bowline.  The  next  morning  Sergeant. 
Travis  came  to  E.  and  consulted  how  they 
might  secure  the  governor  and  deliver  up 
the  garrison  for  the  use  of  the  Parliament, 
which  was  done.  And  the  same  boat 
which  carried  up  the  captain  to  Cork 
brought  down  relief  both  of  men  and 
provisions'  for  the  garrison,  and  the  day- 
following  more  relief  was  sent  from  Cork. 

VIII 

TIIE    CLONMACNOISE    DECREES. 

Declaration   of  the   Bishops  and  Clergy 

assembled  at  Clonnuicnoise,  4th 

December,  i6^g. 

By  the  Eeclesiastical  Congregation  of 
the  Kingdom  of  Ireland,  we,  the  Arch- 
bishops, Bishops,  and  other  Ordinaries 
and  Prelates  of  this  Kingdom  of  Ireland, 
having  met  at  C\om-w;xcno\s,t proprio  jnotu 
on  the  4th  day  of   December  in  the  year 


APPENDIX. 


231 


of  our  Lord  God,  1649,  taking  into  our  that  merciless  enemy.  And,  conse- 
consideration  amon-  other  tl,c  affairs  quently,  we  beseech  the  gentry  and  m- 
thcn  ^a-ilated  and  determinated  for  the  liabitants,  for  (..od  s  glory  and  thcit  own 
preservlition  of  the  Kingdom,  that  many,  safety,  to  the  uttermost  of  their  power  to 
of  our  flock  are  misled  with  a  vain  contribute  with  patience  to  the  support  of 
opinion  of  hoi.cs  that  the  Commander-in-  tlie  war  against  that  enemy,  in  hope  that 
chief  of  the  rebel  forces,  commonly  called  by  the  blessing  of  God  they  may  be  res- 
Parliamentarians,  would  afford  them  good  cued  from  the  threatened  evils  and  m 
conditions,  and  that  relying  thereon,  they  time  be  permitted  to  serve  God  in  heir 
suffer  utter  destruction  of  religion,  lives,  native  country,  and  enjoy  the.r  estates 
and  fortunes,  if  not  prevented.  To  un-  and  the  fruits  of  their  labors,  free  from 
d-ceive  them  in  this  their  ungrounded  such  heavy  levies  or  any  other  such  taxes 
expectation,  we  do  hereby  declare  as  a  as  they  bear  at  present;  admonishing  also 
most  certain  truth  that  the  enemy's  reso-  those  that  are  enlisted  of  the  army  to 
lution  is  to  extirpate  the  Catholic'religion  prosecute  constantly,  according _  to  each 
out  of  all  his  Majesty's  dominions,  as  by  man's  charge,  the  trust  reposed  in  them, 
their  several  covenants  doth  appear,  and  the  opposition  of  the  common  enemy  m 
the  practice  wherever  their  power  doth  so  just  a  war  as  is  that  they  have  under- 
extend,  as  is  manifested  by  Cromwell's  taken  for  their  religion,  king,  and 
letter  of  the  19th  of  October,  1649,  to  the  country,  as  they  expect  the  blessing  ot 
then  Governor  of  Ross;  his  words  are:  God  to  fall  on  their  actions.  And  that  to 
"for  that  which  you  mention  concerning  avoid  God's  heavy  judgment  and  the  in- 
liberty  of  religion,  I  meddle  not  with  any  digriation  of  their  native  country,  they 
man's  conscience;  but  if  by  liberty  of  neither  plunder  nor  oppress  the  people, 
conscience  you  mean  a  liberty  to  exercise  nor  suffer  any  under  their  charge  to  com- 
the  Mass,  I  judge  it  best  to  use  plain  mit  any  extortion  or  oppression,  so  tar  as 
dealing  and  to  let  you  know,  where  the  shall  lie  in  their  power  to  prevent. 
Parliament  have  power,  that  will  not  be  j^^^i^^j.^^/j,,,,  ,,/  fji^  Bishops  and  others 
allowed  of."  This  tyrannical  resolution  assembled  'at  Clonmacnoise,  JJ/h 
they  have   put   in  execution   in   Wexford,  December,  id^g. 

Drogheda,   l^oss,  and   elsewhere  ;   and   it 

is  notoriously  known  that  bv  the  Acts  of  Whereas  heretofore  many  of  the  clergy 
Parliament  called  the  Acts 'of  Subscrip-  and  laity  did  in  their  actions  and  proceed- 
tion,  the  estates  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  ings  express  much  discontent  and  divi- 
Kingdom  are  sold,  so  there  remaineth  sions  of  mind,  grounding  the  same  on  the 
now"  no  more  but  to  put  the  purchasers  late  difference  of  opinion  which  happened 
in  possession  by  the  power  of  forces  amongst  the  prelates  and  the  laity,  by 
drawn  out  of  England.  And  for  the  com-  which  the  nation  was  not  so  well  united 
mon  sort  of  people,  towards  whom  if  they  as  was  necessary  in  this  time  of  great 
show  any  more  moderate  usage  at  the  danger,  wherein  all  as  with  one  heart  and 
present,  it  is  to  no  other  end  bul:  for  their  hand  ought  to  oppose  the  common 
private  advantage  and  for  the  better  sup-  enemy.  We,  the  Archl)ishoi)S,  ]5ishops, 
port  of  their  army,  intending  at  the  close  and  Prelates  of  this  Kingdom  met,  motn 
of  their  conquest  (if  they  can  effect  the  //v7/;7V;,.at  Clonmacnoise,  4th  Decembei, 
same,  as  God  forbid)  to  root  out  the  1649,  having  removed  all  difference  among 
commons  also,  and  plant  this  land  with  us,  not  entering  into  the  merits  of  diver- 
colonies  to  be  brought  hither  out  of  Eng-  sities  of  former  opinions,  thought  good 
land,  iis  witness  the  number  they  have  for  the  removing  of  all  jealousies 
already  sent  hence  for  the  Tobacco  Island,  from  our  own  thoughts,  hearts,  and  reso- 
and  i)Ut  enemies  in  their  places.  lutions,  and  from  others  who  had  relation 

And  in  effect,  this  banishment  and  or  were  adherent  to  the  former  diversity 
other  destructions  of  the  common  people  of  opinion,  to  manifest  hereby  to  all  the 
must  follow  the  resolution  of  extirpating  world  that  the  said  divisions  and  jeal- 
the  Catholic  religion,  which  is  not  to  be  ousies  grounded  thereupon  are  now  for. 
effected  without  the  massacring  or  ban-  gotten  and  forgiven  among  us  on  all  sides 
ishment  of  the  Catholic  inhabitants.  as  aforesaid.     And  that  all  and  every  of 

We  cannot,  therefore,  in  our  duty  to  us,  the  above  Archbishops,  Bishops,  and 
God  and  in  discharge  of  the  care  we  are  Prelates,  are  now  by  the  blessing  of  God 
obliged  to  have  for  the  preservation  of  as  one  body  united,  and  that  we  will,  as 
our  flocks,  but  admonish  them  not  to  becometh  charity  and  our  pastoral  charge, 
delude  and  lose  themselves  with  the  vain  stand  all  of  us  as  one  entire  body,  for  the 
expectation  of  conditions  to  be  had  from    interest   and   immunities  of  the    Church, 


232 


APPENDIX. 


and  of  every  the  Prelates  aiul  Bishops 
thereof,  and  for  the  honor  and  dignity,  es- 
tate, right,  and  possession  of  all  and  every 
the  said  Archbishops,  Bishops,  and  other 
Prelates.  And  we  will,  as  one  entire  and 
united  body,  forward  by  our  counsel, 
action,  and  devices,  the  advancement  of 
his  Majesty's  rights  and  the  good  of  this 
nation  in  general  and  in  particular  occa- 
sions according  to  our  power,  and  that 
none  of  us,  in  any  occasion  whatsoever 
concerning  the  Catholic  religion  or  the 
good  of  this  Kingdom  of  Ireland,  will  in 
any  respect  single  himself,  or  be,  or  seem 
opposite  to  the  rest  of  us,  but  will  hold 
firm  and  entire  in  one  sense,  as  aforesaid, 
hereby  detesting  the  actions,  thoughts, 
and  discourses  of  any  that  shall  renew  the 
least  memory  of  the  differences  past,  or 
give  any  ground  of  future  differences 
among  us,  and  do  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ  exliort  all  our  flock  to  the  like 
brotherly  affection  and  union,  and  to  the 
like  detestation  of  all  past  differences  or 
jealousies  as  aforesaid,  arising  hitherto 
among  them.  And  we  desire  that  this 
our  declaration  be  printed  and  published 
in  each  parish,  by  command  of  the  re- 
spective Ordinaries,  ut  videant  opera 
vestra  bona  et  glorificent  Patrem  vestrum 
qui  in  coslis  est. 

Datum  apud  Clonmacnoise,    13    De- 
cembris,  1649. 

Hugo,  Ardmachanus. 

Fr.  Thomas,  Dubliniensis. 

Thomas,  Casselensis. 

Joannes,  Archiep.  Tuamensis. 

Fr.  Boetius,  Elphinensis. 

-Fr.  Eumundus,  Laghlinensis  et 
Procurator  Waterfordien&is. 

Emeuus,  Clogherensis. 

RoBERTUS,  Corcagiensis  et  Clu- 
anensis. 

-Nicolaus,  Fernensis. 

Edmundus,  Lymericen.  et  Procu- 
rator Episcopi  Ossorien. 

Franciscus,  Aladensis. 

Andreas,  Fenaborensis. 

Joannes,  Laonensis. 

P'r.  Oliverius,  Dromorensis. 

Fr.  Antonius,   Clonmacnoisensis. 

Fr.  Hugo,  Duacensis. 

Fr.  Arthurus,  Dunensis  et  Con- 
norensis. 

Fr.  Terentius,  Imolacensis. 

Fr.  Patritius,  Ardachadensis. 

Oliverius  Deise,  Procurator 
Episcopi  Midensis. 

Dr.  Joannes  Hussei,  Procurator 
Ep.  Ardfertensis. 


Fr.   Joannes  Cantwell,   Abbas 

S.  Crucis. 
Dr.  Thadeus  Clerv,  Procusator 

Episcopi  Rapotensis. 
Fr.  Gregorius  O'Ficrrall,  Pro- 

vincialis  fratrum  min. 
Walterus,      Ep.      Clonfertensis, 

Congregationis  Secretarius. 

Decrees  of  the  Bis/iops,  dr^c,  assembled  at 
Clounacnoise,  ijth  December,  id^g. 

We,  the  Archbishops,  Bishops,  and 
other  Ordinaries  and  Prelates  of  the 
Kingdom  of  Ireland,  having  met  at  Clon- 
macnoise, propria  viotii,  the  4th  day  of 
December,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1649, 
to  consider  of  the  best  means  to  unite  our 
flocks  for  averting  God's  wrath  fallen  on 
this  nation,  now  bleeding  under  the  evils 
that  famine,  plague,  and  war  bring  after 
them,  for  effecting  a  present  union,  decreed 
the  ensuing  acts  : — 

1.  We  order  and  decree  as  an  Act  of 
this  Congregation,  that  all  Archbishops 
and  other  Ordinaries  within  their  respec- 
tive dioceses  shall  enjoin  public  prayers, 
fasting,  general  confessions,  and  receiving, 
and  other  works  of  piety,  ioties  quoties,  to 
withdraw  from  this  nation  God's  anger  and 
to  render  them  capable  of  his  mercies. 

2.  We  order  and  decree  as  an  Act  of 
this  Congregation,  that  a  Declaration  be 
issued  from  us,  letting  the  people  know 
how  vain  it  is  for  them  to  expect  from  the 
common  enemy  commanded  by  Cromwell, 
by  authority  from  the  rebels  of  England, 
any  assurance  of  their  religion,  lives,  or 
fortunes. 

3.  We  order,  and  decree  as  an  Act  of 
this  Congregation,  that  all  the  pastors  and 
preachers  be  enjoined  to  preach  unity. 
And  for  inducing  the  peoj^le  thereunto, 
to  declare  unto  them  the  absolute  neces- 
sity that  is  for  the  same,  and  as  the  chief 
means  to  preserve  the  nation  against  the 
extirpation  and  destruction  of  their  relig- 
ion and  fortunes  resolved  on  by  the 
Enemy.  And  we  hereby  do  manifest  our 
detestation  against  all  such  divisions  be- 
tween either  provinces  or  families,  or 
between  old  English  and  old  Irish,  or  any 
of  the  iMiglish  or  Scots  adhering  to  his 
Majesty.  And  we  decree  and  order,  that 
all  ecclesiastical  persons  fomenting  such 
dissensions  or  unnatural  divisions  be 
punished  by  their  respective  prelates  and 
superiors,  juxta  gravitatem  excesses,  ct 
(si  opus  fuerit)  suspendantur  beneficiati 
et  pastores  a  beneficio  et  officio  ad  certum 
tempus,  religiosi  autem  a  divinis  juxta 
circumstantias  delicti.  Leaving  the  laity 
offending  in  this  kind  to  be  corrected  by 


APPENDIX. 


233 


the  civil  mngistiate  by  im]")risonment,  fine, 
i)anishinent,  or  ol.hcrwisc,  as  to  tliem 
sliall  seem  best  for  pliickino;  by  the  roots 
so  odious  a  crime  ;  the  execution  wlicreof 
we  most  earnestly  recommend  to  all  those 
having  jwwer  and  that  are  concerned 
therein,  as  they  will  answer  to  God  for  the 
evils  that  thereout  may  ensue. 

4.  We  decree  and  declare  excommuni- 
cated those  highway  robbers  commonly 
called  the  Idle  IJoys,  that  take  away  the 
goods  of  honest  men  or  force  men  to  pay 
them  contribution  ;  and  we  likewise  de- 
clare excommunicated  all  such  as  succour 
or  harbor  them,  or  bestow  or  sell  any 
victualling,  or  buy  cattle  or  any  other  thing 
else  wittingly  from  them ;  likewise  all 
ecclesiastical  persons  ministering  sacra- 
ments to  such  robbers  or  Idle  Boys,  or 
burying  them  in  holy  grave,  to  be  sus- 
pended ab  oflicio  et  bcneficio  si  quod 
habcnt,  by  their  respective  superiors  juxta 
gravitatem  delicti.  Th-s  our  decree  is  to 
oblige  within  fifteen  days  after  the  publica- 
tion thereof  in  the  respective  dioceses. 

Datum   apud  Clonmacnoise,    13   De- 
cembris,  1 649.     (Here  follow  the  same 
signatures  as  before.)  ■ 

IX. 

A  Declaration  of  tlic  Lord  Lieutenant  of 
Ire/and,  For  the  Undeeeiving  of  De- 
luded and  Seduced  People  :  whic/i  may 
he  satisfactory  to  all  that  do  not  shi'it 
their  eyes  against  the  light  :  In  ansiver 
to  certain  late  Declarations  and  Acts 
framed  by  the  Irish  Popish  Prelates 
and  Clergy  in  a  Conventicle  at  Clon- 
macnoise. ' 

Having  lately  i^erused  a  Book  printed 
at  Kilkenny  in  the  year  1649,  containing 
divers  Declarations'  and  Acts  of  the 
Popish  Prelates  and  Clergy  framed  in  a 
late  Conventicle  at  Clonmacnoise,  the  4th 
day  of  December,  in  the  year  aforesaid,  I 
thought  (it  to  give  a  brief  Answer  unto  the 
same. 

^  Carlyle's  Z^Z/^rj,  &c.,  vol.  ii.  p.  120,  &c. 
We  give  this  "  Declaration  "  in  full,  as  it  con- 
tains a  complete  statement  of  the  policv,  civil 
and  religious,  pursued  by  Cromwell  and  his 
party  in  dealing  with  Ireland.  We  beg  to 
refer  the  reader  who  wishes  to  see  howthat 
policy  was  carried  out,  to  Mr.  Prendergast's 
work.  The  Croi/i-nellinn  Sett  ement  of  Ireland. 
which  John  Mitchel.  no  mean  authority  on 
such  a  matter,  has  declared  to  be  "  the  most 
perfect  monograph  of  one  special  and  Cardinal 
point  of  our  Irish  history."  Reply  to   Froude, 

p.  21. 


And  first  to  the  first ; —  which  is  a  Dec- 
laration wherein  (having  premised  the 
reconciliation  of  some  differences  among 
themselves),  Ihcy  come  to  state  their  War, 
upon  the  interest  of  their  Cliurch,  of  his 
Majesty,  and  the  Nation,  and  their  reso- 
lution to  prosecute  the  same  with  unity. 
y\ll  which  will  deserve  a  particular  survey. 
The  Meeting  of  the  Archbishops, 
Bishops,  and  other  Prelates  at  Clonmac- 
noise is  by  them  said  to  ho.  propria  motJi. 
By  which  term  they  would  have  the  world 
believe  that  the  Secular  Power  hath  noth- 
ing to  do  to  appoint  or  superintend  their 
spiritual  Conventions,  as  they  call  them  ; — 
altliough  in  the  said  meetings  they  take 
upon  them  to  intermeddle  in  all  secular 
affairs  ;  as  by  the  sequel  appears.  But 
first  for  their  "Union"  they  so  much 
boast  of.  If  any  wise  man  shall  seriously 
consider  what  they  pretend  the  grounds 
of  their  "differences  "  to  have  been,  and 
the  way  and  course  they  have  taken  to 
reconcile  the  same;  and  their  expressions 
thereabout,  and  the  ends  for  which,  and 
their  resolutions  how.  to  carry  on  their 
great  design  declared  for;  he  must  needs 
think  slightly  of  their  said  union.  And 
also  for  this.  That  they  resolve  all  other 
men's  consent  into  their  own,  without  con- 
sulting them  at  all  ! 

The  subject  of  this  reconciliation  was, 
as  they  saj',  "  the  Clergy  and  Laity,"  The 
discontent  and  division  itself  was  grounded 
on  the  late  difference  of  opinion,  hapjjen- 
ing  amongst  tlie  "  Prelates  and  Laity."  I 
wonder  not  at  differences  of  opinion,  at 
discontents  and  divisions,  where  so  Anti- 
clirisiian  and  dividing  a  term  as  "  Clergy 
and  Laity  "  is  given  aiid  received.  Ajerm 
unknown  to  any  save  the  Antichristian 
Church,  and  such  as  derive  themselves 
from  her  :  ab  initio  non  fuit  sic.  The 
most  pure  and  primitive  times,  as  they 
best  know  what  true  union  was,  so  in  all 
addresses  to  the  several  churches  they 
wrote  unto,  not  one  word  of  this.  Ths 
members  of  the  Church  are  styled 
"  Brethren  and  Saints  of  the  same  house- 
hold of  Faith  ;"  although  they  had  orders 
and  distinctions  among  tliem  for  adminis- 
tration of  ordinances  —  of  a  far  different 
use  and  character  from  yours, —  yet  it  no 
where  occasioned  them  to  sa\-,  conteinptim 
and  by  way  of  lessening  in  contradis- 
tinguishing "  Laity  and  Clergy."  It  was 
your  pride  that  begat  this  expression. 
And  it  is  for  filthy  lucre's  sake  that  you 
keep  it  up,  that  by  making  the  people 
believe  that  they  are  not  so  holy  as  your- 
selves, they  might  for  their  penny  pur- 
chase some  sanctity  from   you,  and   that 


234 


APPENDIX. 


you  might  bridle,  saddle,  and  ride  them  at 
vour  pltiasiire  ;  and  do,  as  is  most  true 
of  you,  as  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  of 
old  did  by  their  Laity, — keep  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  law  from  tliem,  and  then  be 
able  in  all  their  pride  to  say,  "  This  people, 
that  know  not  the  Law,  are  cursed." 

And  no  wonder, —  to  speak  more  nearly 
to  your  "  differences  "  and  "  union," — if 
it  lie  in  the  Prelates'  power  to  make  the 
Clergy  and  Laity  go  together  by  the  ears 
when  they  please,  but  that  tiiey  may  as 
easily  make  a  simple  and  senseless  recon- 
ciliation !  Which  will  last  until  the  next 
Nuncio  comes  from  Rome  with  super- 
mandatory  advices,  and  then  this  Gordian 
knot  must  be  cut,  and  the  poor  Laity 
forced  to  dance  to  a  new  tune. 

I  say  not  this  as  being  troubled  at  your 
"  union."  By  the  grace  of  God,  we  fear 
not,  we  care  not  for  it.  Your  covenant 
is  with  Death  and  Hell ;  your  union  is 
like  that  of  Simeon  and  Levi  :  "  Associate 
yourselves,  and  ye  shall  be  broken  in 
pieces  ;  take  counsel  together,  and  it  shall 
come  to  naught !"  -For,  though  it  becomes 
us  to  be  humble  in  respect  of  ourselves, 
yet  we  can  say  to  you  :  God  is  not  with 
you.  You  say,  your  union  is  "against  a 
common  enemy  ;"  and  to  this  if  you  will 
be  talking,  of  "union,"  I  will  give  you 
some  wormwood  to  bite  on,  by  which  it 
will  appear  God  is  not  with  you. 

Who  was  it  that  created  this  "common 
enemy  "(I  suppose  you  mean  English- 
men) ?  The  English  ?  Remember,  ye 
hypocrites,  Ireland  was  once  united  to  Eng- 
land. Englishmen  had  good  inheritances 
which  many  of  them  purchased  with  their 
mon^,  they  and  their  ancestors,  from  you 
and  your  ancestors.  They  had  good 
Leases  from  Irishmen,  for  long  times  to 
come  ;  great  stocks  thereupon  ;  houses  and 
plantations  erected  at  their  own  cost  and 
charge.  They  lived  peaceably  and  honestly 
amongst  you.  You  had  generally  equal 
benefit  of  the  protection  of  England  with 
them  ;  and  equal  justice  from  the  Laws, 
saving  what  was  necessary  for  the  State, 
out  of  reasons  of  State,  to  put  upon 
some  few  people,  apt  to  rebel  upon  the 
instigation  of  such  as  you.  You  broke 
this  "union."  You,  unprovoked,  put  the 
English  to  the  most  unheard-of  and  most 
barbarous  Massacre  (without  respect  of 
age  or  sex),  that  the  sun  ever  beheld  ;and 
at  a  time  when  Ireland  was  in  perfect 
Peace.  And  when,  through  the  example 
of  English  Industry,  tlirough  commerce 
and  traffic,  that  which  was  in  the  Natives' 
liands  was  better  to  them  than  if  all  Ire- 
land had  been  in  their  possession,  and  not 


an  Englishman  in  it.  And  yet  then,  I  say, 
was  this  unheard-of  villainy  perpetrated, — 
by  your  instigation,  who  boast  of  "peace- 
making "  and  "  union  against  this  common 
enemy."  What  think  you  :  by  this  time, 
is  not  my  assertion  true  ?  Is  God,  will 
God,  be  with  you  ? 

I  ani  confident  lie  will  not  !  And 
though  you  will  comprehend  Old  English, 
New  English,  Scotcn  or  whom  else  you 
will,  in  the  bosom  of  your  Catholic  charity, 
yet  shall  not  this  save  you  from  breaking. 
I  tell  you  anil  ihem,  you  will  fare  the 
worse  for  their  sakes.  Because  I  cannot 
but  believe  some  of  them  go  against, 
some  stitfe,  their  consciences.  And  it  is 
not  the  fig-leaf  of  pretence  that  "  they 
fight  for  their  King,"  will  serve  their  turn; 
when  really  they  fight  in  protection 
of  men  of  so  ijiuch  prodigious  of 
blood  ;  and  with  men  who.  have  de- 
clared the  ground  of  their  "  union  " 
and  fighting,  as  you  have  stated  it  in  this 
your  Declaration,  to  be  Belliu/i  Frcelati- 
cum  et  Religiosiu/i,  in  tiie  first  and  pri- 
mary intention  of  it.  Esi)ecia!ly  when 
they  shall  consider  your  principles  :  that 
except  what  fear  makes  you  comply  with, 
viz.,  that  alone  without  their  concurrence 
you  are  not  able  to  carry  on  your  work  of 
War, — you  are  ready,  wlienever  you  shall 
get  the  power  into  your  hands,  to  kick 
them  off,  too,  as  some  late  experiences 
have  sufficiently  manifested  !  And  thus 
we  come  to  the  Design,  you  being  thus 
wholesomely  "  united,"  which  is  intended 
to  be  prosecuted    by  you. 

Your  words  are  these  :  "  That  all  and 
every  of  us,  the  above  Archbishops,  Bish- 
ops, and  Prelates,  are  now,  by  the  blessing 
of  God,  as  one  body  united.  And  that 
we  will,  as  becometh  charity  and  our  pas- 
toral charge,  stand  all  of  us,  as  one  entire 
body,  for  the  interest  and  immunities  of 
our  Church  and  of  every  the  Bishops  and 
Prelates  thereof  ;  and  for  the  honor, 
dignity,  estate,  right,  and  possessions  of 
all  and  every  of  the  said  Archbishops, 
Bishops,  and  other  Prelates.  And  we 
will,  as  one  entire  and  united  body,  for- 
ward by  our  counsels,  actions,  and  devices 
the  advancement  of  his  Majesty's  rights 
and  the  good  of  this  Nation,  in  general 
and  in  particular  occasions,  to  our  power. 
And  that  none  of  us  in  any  occasion  what- 
soever concerning  the  Catholic  religion  or 
the  good  of  this  Kingdom  of  Ireland,  will 
in  any  respect  single  himself ;  or  be  or 
seem  op])osite  to  the  rest  of  us;  but  will 
hold  firm  and  entire  in  one  sense,  as 
aforesaid,  &c." 

And  now,  if  there  were  no  other  quarrel 


APPENDIX. 


235 


against  you  Ijut  this,  which  you  make  to 
be  the  principal  and  first  ground  o£  your 
Quarrel  ;  to  wit,  As  so  standing  for  tlie 
rights  of  your"  Ciiurch,"  falsely  so  called, 
and  for  the  rights  of  your  "Archbishops, 
Bishops,  and  I'relates,"  as  to  engage 
People  and  Nations  into  blood  therefor : — 
this  alone  would  be  your  confusion.  I 
ask  you,  Is  it  for  the  "  lay-fee,"  as  you 
call  it,  or  for  the  Revenue  belonging  to 
your  Church,  that  you  will  after  this  man- 
ner contend?  Oris  it  your  jurisdiction, 
or  the  exercise  of  your  Ecclesiastical  Au- 
thority ?  Or  is  it  the  Faith  of  your 
Church  ?  Let  me  tell  you.  Not  for  all  or 
any  of  these  is  it  lawful  for  the  ministers 
of  Christ,  as  you  would  be  thought  to  be, 
thus  to  contend.  And  therefore  we  will 
consider  them  apart. 

For  the  first,  if  it  were  "  St.  Peter's 
Patrimony,"  as  you  term  it,  that  would  be 
somewhat  that  you  lawfully  came  by  1 
But  I  must  tell  you.  Your  predecessors 
cheated  poor  seduced  men  in  their  weak- 
ness on  their  death-beds;  or  otherwise 
unlawfully  came  by  most  of  this  you  pre- 
tend to.  And  Peter,  though  he  was 
somewhat  too  forward  to  draw  the  sword 
in  a  better  cause,  yet  if  that  weapon,  not 
being  proper  to  the  business  on  hands, 
was  to  i)e  put  up  in  the  case,  he  must  not, 
or  would  he,  have  drawn  it  in  this.  And 
that  blessed  Apostle  i'aul,  who  said, 
"the  laborer  was  worthy  of  his  hire," 
chose  rather  to  make  tents  than  be  bur- 
thensome  to  the  Churches.  I  would  you 
had  either  of  these  Good  Men's  spirits  ; 
on  condition  your  Revenues  were  doubled 
to  what  the  best  times  ever  made  them  to 
your  predecessors!  The  same  answer 
may  be  given  to  that  of  your  "  Power  and 
Jurisdiction,"  and  to  that  pre-eminence 
of  Prelacy  you  so  dearly  love.  Only  con- 
sider what  the  Master  of  these  same 
Apostles  said  to  them:  "So  it  shall  not 
be  amongst  you.  Whoever  will  be  chief 
shall  be  servant  of  all."  For  He  Him- 
self came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but 
to  minister.  And  by  this  he  that  runs 
may  read  of  what  tribe  you  are. 

And  surely  if  these,  that  are  outward 
things,  may  not  thus  be  contended  for, 
how  much  less  may  the  doctrines  of 
Faith,  which  are  the  works  of  Grace  and 
the  Spirit,  be  endeavoured  by  so  unsuita- 
ble means  !  He  that  bids  us  "  contend 
for  the  Faith  once  delivered  to  the 
Saints,"  tells  us  that  we  should  do  it  by 
"avoiding  the  spirit  of  Cain,  Corah,  and 
Balaam;  "  and  by  "building  up  ourselves 
in    the  most  holy   Faith,"  not   pinning  it 


upon  other  men's  sleeves.  Praying  "in 
the  Holy  Ghost;"  not  muml)ling  over 
Matins.  Keeping  "  ourselves  in  tlic  love 
of  God;"  not  destroying  men  because 
they  will  not  be  of  our  Faith.  "Waiting 
for  the  m.ercy  of  Jesus  Christ;  "  not  cruel, 
but  merciful !  But,  alas,  why  is  this  said  ? 
Why  are  these  pearls  cast  before  you? 
You  are  resolved  not  to  be  charmed  from 
"  using  the  instrument  of  a  foolish  shep- 
herd." You  are  a  part  of  Anti-Christ," 
whose  Kingdom  the  Scripture  so  ex- 
pressly says  should  be  "  laid  in  blood;" 
)ea,  "in  the  blood  of  the  Saints."  You 
iiave  shed  great  store  of  that  already;  and 
ere  it  be  long,  you  must  all  of  you  have 
blood  to  drink,  "even  the  dregs  of  the 
.fury  and  the  wrath  of  God,  which  will  be 
poured  out  unto  you." 

In  the  ne.\t  place,  you  state  the  "inter- 
est of  his  Majesty,"  as  you  say.  And 
this  you  hope  will  draw  some  English  and 
Scotch  to  your  party.  But  what  "  Maj- 
esty "  is  it  you  mean  ?  Is  it  F" ranee,  or 
Spain,  or  Scotland  ?  Speak  plainly  You 
have,  some  of  you  lately,  been  harping, 
or  else  we  are  misinformed,  upon  his 
Majesty  of  Spain  to  be  your  Protector. 
Was  it  because  his  Majesty  of  Scotland 
was  too  little  a  Majesty  for  your  purpose? 
We  know  you  love  great  Majesties.  Or 
is  it  because  he  is  not  fully  come  over  to 
you  in  point  of  religion  ?  If  he  be  short 
in  that,  you  will  quickly  find  out,  upon 
that  score,  another  "  Majesty."  His 
P^ather,  who  complied  with  you  too  much, 
you  rejected  ;  and  now  you  would  make 
the  world  believe  that  you  make  the  Son's 
interest  a  great  part  of   your  Quarrel. 

How  can  we  but  think  there  is  some  re- 
serve in  this?  And  that  the  Son  has 
agreed  to  do  somewhat  more  for  you  than 
ever  his  Father  did?  Or  else  tell  us: 
Whence  this  new  zeal  is  ?  That  the 
Father  did  too  much  for  you,  in  all  Prot- 
estant judgments,  instead  of  many  in- 
stanced let  this  be  considered  :  What  one 
of  your  own  Doctors,  Dr.  Enos,  of  Dublin, 
who  writing  against  the  Agreement  made 
between  the  I.ord  of  Ormonde  and  the 
Irish  Catholics,  finds  fault  with  it  and  says 
it  was  "nothing  so  good  as  that  the  Earl 
of  (jjamorgan  liad  warrant  from  the  King 
to  make;  but  exceeding  far  short  of  what 
Lord  George  Digby  had  warrant  to  agree 
with  the  Pope  him.self  at  Rome,  in  favour 
of  the  Irish  Catholics."  I  intend  not  this 
to  vou  ;  but  to  such  Protestants  as  may 
incline  to  you,  and  to  join  with  you  upon 
this  single  account,  which  is  the  only  ap- 
pearing inducement  to  them  ;  seeing  there 


236 


APPENDIX. 


is  so  much  probability  of  ill  in  this  ab- 
stracted. And  so  much  certainty  of  ill  in 
fighting  for  tiie  Romish  Religion  against 
the  Protestant;  and  fighting  with  men 
under  the  guilt  of  so  horrid  a  Massacre. 
From  participating  in  which  Guilt,  whilst 
they  take  part  with  them,  they  will  never 
be  able  to  assoil  themselves,  either  before 
God  or  good  men. 

In  the  last  place,  you  are  pleased, 
having,  after  your  usual  manner,  remem- 
bered yourselves  first  and  "his  Majesty," 
as  you  call  him,  next,  like  a  man  of  your 
tribe,  with  his  Et^o  et  Rex  mens.,  you  are 
pleased  to  take  the  people  into  considera- 
tion. Lest  they  should  seem  to  be  for- 
gotten :  or  rather  you  would  make  me 
believe  they  are  much  in  your  thoughts. 
Indeed  I  think  they  are  !  Alas,  poor 
"  Laity!"  That  you  and  your  Kingmight 
ride  them  and  jade  them,  as  your  Church 
hath  done,  and  as  your  King  hath  done 
by  your  means,  almost  in  all  ages  !  But  it 
would  not  be  hard  to  prophesy.  That  the 
beasts  being  stung  and  kicking,  this  world 
will  not  last  always.  Arbitrary  power 
men  begin  to  be  weary  of  in  Kings  and 
Churchmen  ;  their  juggle  between  them 
materially  to  uphold  Civil  and  Ecclesiasti- 
cal Tyranny  begins  to  be  transparent. 
Some  have  cast  off  both,  and  hope  by  the 
grace  of  God  to  keep  so.  Others  are  at 
it !  Many  thoughts  are  laid  about  it,  which 
will  have  their  issue  and  vent.  This 
principle.  That  People  are  for  Kings  and 
Churches,  and  Saints  are  for  the  Pope  or 
Churchmen,  as  you  call  them,  begins  to 
be  exploded  ;  and  therefore  I  wonder  not 
to  see  the  Fraternity  so  much  enraged. 
I  wish  "  the  People "  wiser  than  to  be 
troubled  at  you ;  or  solicitous  for  what 
you  say  or  do. 

But  it  seems,  notwithstanding  all  this, 
you  would  fain  have  them  believe  it  is 
their  good  you  seek.  And  to  cozen  them, 
in  deed  and  in  truth,  is  the  scope  of  your 
whole  Declaration,  and  of  your  Acts  and 
Decrees  in  your  foresaid  I'rinted  Book. 
Therefore  to  discover  and  unveil  those 
falsities,  and  to  let  them  know  what  they 
are  to  trust  to,  from  me,  is  the  principal 
end  of  this  my  Declaration.  That  if  I  be 
not  able  to  do  good  upon  them,  which  I 
most  desire, —  and  yet  in  that  1  shall  not 
seek  to  gain  them  by  flattery  :  l)ut  tell  them 
the  worst,  in  plainness,  and  that  which  I 
am  sure  will  not  be  acceptable  to  you,  and 
if  I  cannot  gain  them,  I  sliall  have  comfort 
in  this,  that  I  have  freed  my  own  soul 
from  the  guilt  of  ^he  evil  that  shall  ensue, 
and  on  this  subject  1  hope  to  leave  noth- 


ing unanswered  in  your  said  Declarations 
and   Decrees,  at  Clonmacnoise. 

And  because  you  carry  on  your  matter 
somewhat  confusedly,  I  shall  therefore 
bring  all  that  you  have  said  into  some 
order ;  that  so  we  may  the  better  discern 
what  every  thing  signifies,  and  give 
answer  thereunto. 

You  forewarn  the  People  of  their 
danger,  which  you  make  to  consist :  First, 
"in  tlie  extirpation  of  the  Catholic  Re- 
ligion ;  "  Secondly,  "  in  the  destruction  of 
their  lives;"  Thirdly,  "in  the  ruin  of 
their  Fortunes,"  to  avoid  all  which  you 
forewarn  them;  First,  that  they  be  not 
deceived  by  the  Commander-in-Chief  of 
the  Parliament  Forces;  and  in  the  next 
place,  having  stated  your  War,  as  afore- 
said, you  give  them  your  positive  advice 
and  counsel  to  engage  in  blood.  And 
lastly,  bestow  upon  them  a  collation  in 
Four  Ecclesiastical  Decrees  or  Orders, 
which  will  signify  as  little,  being  per- 
formed by  your  spirit,  as  if  you  had  said 
nothing.  And  the  obligation  to  all  this 
you  make  to  be  your  Pastoral  relation  to 
them,  "  over  your  Flocks." 

To  which  last  a  word  or  two.  I 
wonder  how  this  relation  was  brought 
about !  If  they  be  Flocks,  and  you  ambi- 
tious of  the  relative  term .?  You  are 
Pastors;  but  it  is  by  an  antiphrasis,  a 
minitne pascendo!  You  either  teach  the 
People  not  at  all;  or  else  you  do  it,  as 
some  of  you  came  to  this  Conventicle  who 
were  sent  by  others,  tanquain  Procjira- 
tores,  as  your  manner  is,  by  sending  a 
company  of  silly,  ignorant  Priests,  who 
can  but  say  the  Mass,  and  scarcely  that 
intelligibly:  or  with  such  stuff  as  these 
your  senseless  Declarations  and  Edicts  ! 
But  how  dare  you  assume  to  call  these 
men  your  "  Flocks,"  whom  you  have 
plunged  into  so  horrid  a  Rebellion,  by 
which  you  have  made  them  and  their 
country  almost  a  ruinous  heap .-'  And 
whom  you  have  fleeced,  and  polled,  and 
peeled  hitherto,  and  make  it  quite  your 
business  to  do  so  still.  You  cannot  feed 
them  !  You  poison  them  with  your  false, 
abominable,  and  Antichristian  doctrine 
and  practices.  You  keep  the  Word  of 
God  from  them;  and  instead  thereof  give 
them  your  senseless  Orders  and  Tradi- 
tions. You  teach  them  "  implicit  belief  ;  " 
he  that  goes  amongst  them  may  find  many 
that  do  not  understand  anything  in  the 
matters  of  your  Religion.  I  have  had 
few  better  answers  from  any  since  I  came 
into  Ireland  that  are  of  your  Flocks  than 
this,   "That  indeed  they  did  not  trouble 


APT  END  IX. 


237 


themselves  about  matters  of  religion,  but 
left  that  to  the  Church."  Thus  are  your 
"  Flocks  "  fed;  ami  such  credit  have  you 
of  them.  Ikit  they  must  take  heed  of 
"losing  their  religion."  Alas!  poor 
creatures,  what  have  they  to  lose? 

Concerning  this  is  your  grand  caveat. 
And  to  backUiis,  you  tell  them  of  "  Reso- 
lutions and  Covenants  to  extirpate  the 
Catholic  JKcligion  out  of  all  his  Majesty's 
Dominions."  '  And  you  instance  in 
"Cromwell's  Letter  of  the  19th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1649,  to  the  then  Governor  of  Ross," 
repeating  his  words,  which  are  as  follows, 
viz:  "  P^or  that  which  you  mention  con- 
cerning liberty  of  conscience,  I  meddle 
not  with  any  man's  conscience.  But  if  by 
liberty  of  conscience  you  mean  a  liberty 
to  exercise  the  Mass,  I  judge  it  best  to 
use  plain  dealing,  and  to  let  you  know. 
Where  the  Parliament  of  England  have 
power,  that  will  not  be  allowed  of."  And 
this  you  call  a  "  tyrannical  Resolution  ;  " 
which  vou  say  hath  been  put  in  execution 
in  Wexford,  Ross,  and  Tredah. 

Now  let  us  consider.  First,  you  sav. 
The  design  is,  to  extirpate  the  Catholic 
Religion.  Let  us  see  your  honesty 
herein.  Your  word  "  extiruate  "  is  as  ill- 
collected  from  these  grounds,  and  as 
senseless  as  the  word  "  Catholic," 
ordinarily  used  by  you  when  you  mention 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  The  word 
"  extirjiate  "  means  a  thing  already  rooted 
and  established ;  which  word  is  made 
good  by  the  proof  of  "  Covenants,"  by 
that  Letter  expressing  the  non-toleration 
of  the  Mass  (wherein,  it  seems;  you  place 
all  the  "  Catholic  Religion,"  and  there 
you  show  some  ingenuity),  and  your  in- 
stance of  what  was  jiracticed  in  the  three 
Towns  afore-mentioned  :  do  these  ]iio\'e, 
either  considered  apart  or  all  together, 
the  "extirpation  of  the  Catholic  Re- 
ligion.'' " 

By  what  law  was  the  Mass  exercised  in 
these  i:)laces,  or  in  any  of  the  Dominions 
of  England  or  Ireland,  or  Kingdom  of 
vScotlantl?  You  were  intruders  herein: 
you  were  open  violators  of  the  known 
Laws  !  And  yet  you  call  the  "  Covenant," 
and  that  in  the  Letter,  and  these  i)ractices 
"  Extirpation  "  of  the  Catholic  Religion 
—  thus  again  set  on  foot  by  you  by  the 
advantage  of  your  Rebellion  and  shaking 
off  the  just  Authority  of  the  State  of 
England  over  you  !  Whereas,  I  dare  be 
confident  to  you,  you  durst  not  own  the 
saying  of  one  Mass  above  these  eighty 
years  in  Ireland.  And  through  the 
troubles   you     made,    and    through    the 


miseries  you  brought  on  this  Nation  and 
the  poor  People  thereof,  your  numbers, 
which  is  very  ominous,  increasing  with 
the  evolves,  through  the  desolations  you 
made  in  the  Country,  did  you  recover 
again  the  exercise  of  your  Mass  .''  And 
for  the  maintenance  of  this,  thus  gained, 
you  -'Ould  make  the  poor  People  believe 
that  it  is  ghostly  counsel,  and  given  in  love 
lo^lhcmas  your  "Flocks,"  That  they 
should  run  into  Wars,  and  venture  lives, 
and  all  upon  such  a  ground  as  this  !  But  - 
if  God  be  pleased  to  unveil  you  of  your 
sheep's-clothing,  that  they  may  see  how 
they  have  been  deluded,  and  by  whom,  I 
shall  exceedingly  rejoice  ;  and  indeed,  for  ^ 
their  sakes  only  have  I  given  you  these 
competent  characters,  for  (heir  good,  if 
God  shall  so  bless  it. 

And  now  for  them,  I  do  particularly  de- 
clare what  they  may  expect  at  my  hands 
in  this  jjoint.  Wherein  you  will  easily 
perceive  that,  as  I  neither  have,  nor  shall 
flatter  you,  so  neither  shall  I  go  about  to 
delude  them  with  specious  pretences,  as 
you  have  ever  done. 

First,  therefore  :  I  shall  not,  where  I 
have  pov,-er,  and  the  Lord  is  pleased  to 
bless  me,  suffer  the  exercise  of  the  Mass 
where  I  can  take  notice  of  it.  Nor  suffer 
you  that  are  Papists,  where  I  can  find  you 
seducing  the  People,  or  by  any  overt  act 
violating  the  Laws  that  are  established  ; 
but  if  you  come  into  my  hands,  I  shah 
cause  to  be  inflicted  the  punishments  ap- 
pointed by  the  Laws,  to  use  your  own 
term,  "  seciindtun  gravitatem  delicti^'' 
upon  you;  and  to  reduce  things  to  their 
former  state  on  this  behalf.  As  for  the 
People,  what  thoughts  they  have  in  the 
matter  of  Religion  in  their  own  breasts  I 
cannot  reach  :  l)ut  shall  think  it  my  duty, 
if  they  walk  lionestly  and  peaceably,  Not 
to  cause  them  in  the  least  to  suffer  for  the 
same.  And  shall  endeavor  to  walk 
patiently  and  in  love  towards  them,  to  see 
if  at  any  time  it  shall  please  God  to  give 
them  another  or  a  better  mind.  And  all 
men  under  the  power  of  England,  within 
this  Dominion,  are  hereby  required  and 
enjoined  strictly  and  religiously  to  do  the 
same. 

To  \\-\z second,\\\\\z\\  is  "  the  destruction 
of  the  Lives  of  the  Inhabitants  of  this 
Nation  :"  to  make  it  good  that  this  is  de- 
signed, they  give  not  one  reason.  Which 
is  either  because  they  have  none  to  give  ; 
or  else  for  that  they  believe  the  People 
will  receive  everything  for  truth  they  say  ; 
which  they  have  too  well  taught  them,  and 
God  knows  the  People  are  too  apt,  to  do. 


•238 


APPENDIX. 


But  I  will  a  little  help  them.  They  speak, 
indeed,  of  "  rooting  out  the  common 
People  ;"  and  also,  by  way  of  consequent, 
that  the  extirpating  the  Catholic  Religion 
is  not  to  be  effected  without  the  "massa- 
cring, destroying,  or  banishing  the  Cath- 
olic Inhabitants."  Which  how  analogical 
an  argument  this  is,  I  shall  easily  make 
appear  by  and  by. 

Alas  !  the  generality  of  "the  Inhabi- 
tants "  are  poor  "  Laity,"  as  you  call  them, 
and  ignorant  of  the  grounds  of  the  "Cath- 
olic Religion."  Are  they  then  so  inter- 
woven with  your  Church  Interest  as  that 
the  absence  of  tfift/i  makes  your  Catholic 
Religion  fall  to  the  ground  ?  We  know 
vou  think  not  so.  You  reckon  yourselves, 
and  yourselves  only,  the  pillars  and  sup- 
porters thereof;  and  the  Common  People, 
as  far  as  they  have  the  exercise  of  the 
club-law,  and  like  the  ass  you  ride  on,  obey 
your  commands.  But  concerning  these 
relations  of  your  Religion,  enough  has 
been  spoken  in  another  place;  only  you 
love  to  mix  things  for  your  advantage.    • 

But  to  your  logic.  Here  is  your  argu- 
ment: The  design  is  to  extirpate  the  Catho- 
lic Religion  ;  but  this  is  not  to  be  done  but 
by  the  massacring,  banishing,  or  otherwise 
destroying  the  Catholic  Inhabitants:  efgo, 
it  is  designed  to  massacre,  banish,  and 
destroy  the  Catholic  Inhabitants.  To  try 
this  no-concluding  argument,  but  yet  well 
enough  agreeing  with  your  learning,  I  give 
you  this  dilemma  ;  by  which  it  will  appear 
that  whether  your  religion  be  true  or  false, 
this  will  not  follow  :  If  your  Religion  be 
the  true  Religion,  yet  if  a  Nation  may 
degenerate  from  the  true  Religion  and 
apostatise,  as  too  many  have  done 
(through  the  seducements  of  your  Roman 
Church),  then  it  will  not  follow  that  men 
must  be  "  massacred,  banished,  or  other- 
wise destroyed,"  necessarily  ;  no,  not  as 
to  the  change  of  the  trjie  Religion  in  a 
Nation  or  Country  !  .  Only  the  argument 
doth  wonderfully  well  agree  with  your 
principles  and  practice,  you  having  chiefly 
made  use  of  fire  and  sword,  in  all  the 
changes  in  Religion  that  you  have  made 
in  the  world.  If  it  be  c'lange  of  your 
Catholic  Religion  so-called,  it  will  not 
follow,  because  there  may  be  found  out 
another  means  than  "  massacring,  destruc- 
tion, and  banishing,"  to  wit,  the  Word  of 
God  ;  which  is  able  to  convert.  A  means 
which  you  as  little  know  as  practise,  which, 
indeed,  you  deprive  the  People  of !  To- 
gether with  humanity,  good  life,  equal  and 
honest  dealing  with  men  of  a  different 
opinion ;    which   we   desire   to    exercise 


towards  this  poor  People,  if  you,  by  your 
wicked  counsel,  make  them  not  incapable 
to  receive  it,  by  putting  them  into  blood! 

And  therefore,  by  this  also,  your  false 
and  twisted  dealing  may  be  a  little  dis- 
covered. Well,  your  words  are,  "Massa- 
cre, destroy,  and  banish."  Good  now. 
Give  us  an  instance  of  one  man  since  my 
coming  into  Ireland,  not  in  arms,  massa- 
cred, destroyed,  or  banished  ;  concerning 
the  massacre  or  the  destruction  of  whc  m 
justice  hath  not  been  done,  or  endeavored 
to  be  done.  And  as  for  the  other  of 
banishment,  I  must  now  speak  unto  the 
People,  whom  you  would  delude,  and 
whom  this  most  concerns  ;  that  they  may 
know  in  this  also  what  to  expect  at  my 
hands. 

The  question  is  of  the  destruction  of 
life;  or  of  that  which  is  little  inferior  to 
it,  to  wit,  of  banishment.  I  shall  not 
willingly  take,  or  suffer  to  be  taken  away, 
the  life  of  any  man  not  in  arms,  but  by 
the  trial  to  which  the  People  of  this 
Nation  are  subject  by  Law,  for  offences 
against  the  same.  And  as  for  the  banish- 
ment, it  hath  not  hitherto  been  inflicted 
upon  any  but  such  who,  being  in  arms, 
might  justly,  upon  the  terms  they  were 
taken,  and  put  to  death  :  as  those  who 
are  instanced  in  your  Declaration  to  be 
"sent  to  the  Tobacco  Islands."  And, 
therefore,  I  do  declare,  That  if  the  Peojjle 
be  ready  to  run  to  arms  by  the  instigation 
of  their  Clergy  or  otherwise,  such  as  God 
by  Mis  providence  shall  give  into  my 
hands  mav  expect  that  or  worse  measure 
from  me  ;  but  not  otherwise. 

TJiirdly,  as  to  that  of  "  the  ruin  of  their 
fortune."  You  instance  the  Act  of  Sub- 
scription, "  whereby  the  estates  of  the 
Inhabitants  of  this  Nation  are  sold,  so 
as  there  remaineth  now  no  more  but  to 
put  the  Purchasers  in  possession  ;  and  that 
tor  this  cause  are  the  Forces  drawn  out  of 
England."  And  that  you  might  carry  the 
Interest  far,  to  engage  the  Common  sort 
of  People  with  you,  you  further  say  to 
them,  That "  the  moderate  usage  exercised 
to  them  is  to  no  other  end  but  to  our 
private  advantage,  and  for  the  better  sup- 
port of  our  Army:  intending  at  the.close 
of  our  conquest,  as  you  term  it,  to  root 
out  the  Common  People  also,  and  to  plant 
the  land  with  Colonies  to  be  brought 
hither  out  of  Enj^land."  This,  consisting 
of  divers  parts,  will  ask  distinct  answers. 

And  first,  to  the  Act  of  Subscription. 
It's  true  there  is  such  an  Act ;  and  it  was 
a  just  one.  For  when,  by  your  execrable 
Massacre  and  Rebellion,  you  had  not  only 


ATPENDIX.  239 


raised  a  bloody  War  to  justify  tlie  same  ;  with  Englishmen,  if  they  keep  out  of  arms, 
and  thereby  occasioned  the  exhausting  y\nd  now,  having  said  this  to  you,  I  have 
the  Treasury  of  England  in  the  prosecu-  a  word  to  them  ;  that  in  this  point,  which 
tion  of  so  just  a  War  against  you,  was  it  concerns  them  in  their  estates  and  for- 
not  a  wise  and  just  act  in  the  State  to  tunes,  they  may  know  what _  to  trust  to. 
raise  money  by  escheating  the  Lanils  of  Such  as  have  formerly  been  inarms,  may, 
those  who  had  a  hand  in  the  Rebellion.?  submitting  themselves,  have  their  cases 
Was  it  not  fit  to  make  their  Estates  defray  presented  to  the  State  of  England  ;  where, 
the  cliarge,  who  had  caused  the  trouble'.?  no  doubt,  the  State  will  be  ready  to  take 
The  bes?,  therefore,  tliat  lies  in  the  argu-  into  consideration  the  nature  and  quality 
mcnt  is  this,  and  that  only  reaching  to  of  their  actings,  and  deal  mercifully  with 
them  who  have  been  in  arms,  for  further  them.  And  as  for  those  now  in  arms, 
it  o-oes  not :  "  You  have  forfeited  your  who  shall  come  in  and  submit,  and  give 
Estates,  and  it  is  likely  they  will  be  es-  engagements  for  their  future  quiet  and 
cheated  to  make  satisfaction;  and  there-  honest  carriage  and-  submission  to  the 
fore  you  had  better  fight  it  out  than  repent  State  of  England,  I  doubt  not  but  they 
or  give  off  now;  or  see  what  mercy  you  will  find  like  merciful  consideration,  ex- 
may  find  from  the  State  of  England.  And  cepting  only  the  Leading  persons  and 
see'ing  holy  Church  is  engaged  in  it,  we  Principal  Contrivers  of  this  Rebellion, 
will,  by  one  means  or  another,  hook  in  the  whon-i  I  am  confident  they  will  reserve 
Commons,  and  make  them  sensible  that  to  make  examples  of  Justice,  whatever 
they  are  as  much  concerned  as  you,  though  hazards  they  incur  thereby.  And  as  for 
they  were  never  in  arms,  or  came  quickly  such  I'rivate  Soldiers  as  lay  down  their 
off!"  yVnd  for  this  cause  doubtless  are  arms,  and  shall  live  peaceably  and  hon- 
thcse  two  coupled  together;  by  which  estly  at  their  several  homes,  they  shall  be 
your  honest  dealing  is  manifest  enough.  permitted  so  to  do.  And,  for  the  first  two 
But  what?  Was  the  English  Army  sorts,  I  shall  humbly  and  effectually  repre- 
brought  over  for  this  purpose,  as  you  sent  their  cases  to  the  Parliament,  as  far 
allege?  Do  you  think  that  the  State  of  as  becomes  the  duty  and  place  I  bear. 
England  will  be  at  five  or  six  Millions  But  as  for  those  who,  notwithstanding 
charge  merely  to  procure  Purchasers  to  this,  persist  and  continue  in  arms,  they 
be  invested  in  that  for  which  they  did  dis-  must  expect  what  the  Providence  of  God, 
burse  little  above  a  Quarter  of  a  M'illion  ?  in  that  which  is  falsely  called  the  Chance 
Although  tliere  be  a~justice  in  that  also,  of  War,  will  cast  upon  them, 
which  ought,  and,  I  trust,  will,  be  season-  Eor  such  of  the  Nobility,  Gentry,  and 
ably  performed  towards  them.  No,  I  can  Commons  of  Ireland,  as  have  not  been 
give  you  a  better  reason  for  the  Army  actors  in  this  Rebellion,  they  shall  and 
coming  over  tlian  this,  j^ngland  hath  had  may  expect  the  protection  on  their  Goods, 
experience  of  the  blessing  of  God  in  Liberties,  and  Lives  which  the  Law  gives 
prosecuting  just  and  righteous  Causes,  them;  and  in  their  husbandry,  merchan- 
whatevcr  the  cost  and  hazard  be  !  And  dising,  manufactures,  and  other  trading 
if  ever  men  were  engaged  in  a  righteous  whatsoever,  the  same.  They  behaving 
Cause  in  the  world,  this  will  scarce  be  a  themselves  as  becomes  honest  and  peace- 
second  to  it.  We  are  come  to  ask  an  ac-  able  men;  testifying  their  good  affections, 
countof  the  innocent  blood  that  hath  been  upon  all  occasions,  to  the  service  of  the 
shed,  and  to  endeavor  to  bring  to  an  ac-  State  of  England,  equal  justice  shall  be 
count,  by  the  blessing  and  presence  of  the  done  them  with  the  English.  They  shall 
Almighty,  in  whom  alone  is  our  hope  and  bear  proportionately  with  them  in  taxes. 
strengtli,all  who,  by  appearing  in  arms.  And  if  the  soldiery  be  insolentupon  them, 
seek  to  justify  the  same.  We  come  to  upon  complaint  and  proof,  it  shall  be 
break  the  power  of  lawless  rebels,  who  punished  with  utmost  severity,  and  they 
having  cast  off  the  authority  of  England,  protected  equally  with  Englishmen, 
live  as  enemies  to  Human  Society;  whose  And  having  said  this,  and  purposing 
principles,  the  world  hath  experience,  are,  honestly  to  perform  it,  if  this  People  shall 
To  destroy  and  subjugate  all  men  not  com-  hcadily  nui  on  after  the  counsels  of  their 
plyingwith  them.  We  come  by  the  assis-  Prelates  and  Clergy  and  other  Leaders,  I 
taiice  of  God,  to  hold  forth,  and  maintain  hope  to  be  free  from  the  misery  and  dcso- 
the  lustre  and  glory  of  English  Liberty  in  lation,  blood  and  ruin,  that  shall  befall 
a  Nation  where  we  have  an  undoubted  them;  and  shall  rejoice  to  exercise  utmost 
right  to  do  it;  wherein  the  People  of  Ire-  severity  against  them, 
land  (if  they  listen  not  to  such  seducers  as  q^  j,^.,,,,  Cromwell. 

you    are),  may  equally   participate    in  all 
benefits;  to  use  liberty  and  fortune  equally        Given  at  You  s,hal,  January,  1650. 


2-10 


APPENDIX. 


X. 


LANGLEY  OF  THE  IRON  HAND. 

When  Erin  before  Clonmel  fell, 

A  man  of  whom  I'll  tell  you 
As  they  advanced  to  storm  Clonmel 

Was  foremost  in  the  melee. 

Charles  Langley  hight,  a  man  of  power, 

Of  all  the  troops  the  best, 
For    when    they    stormed     the    western 
tower. 

He  towered  above  the  rest. 

A  mower  standing  in  the  breach, 
With  scythe  to  guard  the  pass. 
His  hand  cut  off,  as  if  to  teach 
That  flesh  is  still  but  grass. 

But  yet  a  gallant  warrior's  boast, 
Might  to  his  wounds  bring  balm; 

For  though  his  hand  the  hero  lost, 
He  bore  away  the  palm. 

He  could  aver  that  in  the  fray 

Where  balls  and  bullets  fly. 
He  had  on  that  eventful  day 

A  finger  in  the  pie. 

And  what  a  wondrous  change  took  place 

When  of  his  limb  bereft ! 
He  found,  when  thinking  o'er  his  case, 

His  right  hand  was  the  left ! 

The  furious  foe,  in  joyous  glee, 

The  bleeding  hero  scanned, 
And  bade  him  then  in  irony 

To  get  an  iron  hand. 

But  Langley,  with  his  sabre  bright. 
Struck  at  the  boasting  clown. 

To  crown  the  labors  of  the  fight. 
He  cut  him  through  the  crown. 

His  iron  hand  henceforth  he  wore, 

His  various  works  to  settle, 
Thus  proving  then  just  as  before, 

Himself  a  man  of  mettle. 


The  following  curious  will  was  made  by 
a  namesake,  jsrobably  a  relative  of  his, 
who  also  fought  at  Clonmel : — 

I,  John  Langley,  born  at  Wincannon, 
in  Somersetshire,  and  settled  in  Ireland 
in  the  year  i65i,now  in  my  right  mind 
and  wits,'  do  make  my  will  in  my  own 
handwriting: 

I  do  leave  all  my  house,  goods,  and 
farm  of  Blackkettle  of  253  acres  to  my 
son  commonly  called  Stubborn  Jack,  to 
him  and  his  heirs  for  ever,  provided  he 
marries  a  Protestant,  but  not  Alice  Ken- 
drick,  who  called  me  "  Oliver's  whelp." 
My  new  buckskin  breeches  and  my  silver 
tobacco-stopper,  with  J.  L.  on  the  top,  I 
give  to  Richard  Richards,  my  comrade 
who  helped  me  off  at  the  storming  of 
Clonmel,  when  I  was  shot  through  the  leg. 
My  said  son  John  shall  keep  my  body 
aboveground  six  days  and  six  nights  after 
I  am  dead  ;  and  Grace  Kendrick  shall  lay 
me  out,  who  shall  have  for  so  doing  five 
shillings.  My  body  shall  be  put  upon  the 
oak  table  in  the  brown  room,  and  fifty 
Irishmen  shall  be  invited  to  my  wake, 
and  everyone  shall  have  two  quarts  of  the 
best  aquavitit,  and  each  a  skein,  dirk,  or 
knife  laid  before  him;  and  when  their 
liquor  is  out,  nail  up  my  coffin  and  com- 
mit me  to  earth  whence  I  came. 

This  is  my  will.  Witness  my  hand  this 
3rd  day  of   March,  1674. 

John  Langley. 

Some  of  his  friends  asked  him  why  he 
would  be  at  such  a  charge  to  treat  the 
Irish  at  his  funeral,  a  people  whom  he 
never  loved.  "  Why  for  that  reason," 
replied  he,  "for  they  will  get  so  drunk  at 
my  wake  that  they  will  kill  one  another, 
and  so  we  will  get  rid  of  the  breed.  And 
if  every  one  would  follow  my  example  in 
their  wills,  in  time  we  should  get  rid  of 
them  alL" 


^H% 


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